


till you overflow

by rxgulus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: All the Regulus Tags, Angst, BAMF Regulus Black, BAMF Sirius Black, Black Brothers Bonding, Fluff, Good Regulus Black, Horcrux Hunting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It's mentioned kind of a lot, James doesn't understand the Black Brothers, Kreacher is not awful!, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reg is my baby, Regulus Black Deserves Better, Regulus Black Feels, Regulus Black Lives, Regulus Black is a Good Sibling, Regulus Black-centric, Regulus was so ready to die :(, Remus Lupin is So Done, Sirius Black is a Good Sibling, Slytherin's Locket, Suicidal Thoughts, The Cave, They love each other, Walburga Black abused her two beautiful boys you can not convince me otherwise, Walburga Black's A+ Parenting, Young Sirius Black, he's trying his best, sirius is cute, they love each other so much guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:01:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 44
Words: 343,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26841808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rxgulus/pseuds/rxgulus
Summary: Regulus had been terribly confused when the Dark Lord first requested the use of Kreacher, however after discovering just what he's been hiding, Regulus is determined to do what's right.Only, he can't do it. Nothing's working. He's reaching his breaking point and he's not quite sure what will happen when he inevitably crumbles.Meanwhile, Sirius is awfully worried about his little brother.[Inspired by regulusprompts on tumblr]
Relationships: Regulus Black & Kreacher, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 352
Kudos: 941
Collections: BooksToMonitor





	1. The Dark Lord's Misdeed

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by Prompt #31 on regulusprompts tumblr (I have no idea how to link but please check them out, they're brilliant) and wrote this partly because I just really love Regulus and wanted to see him as the soft boy I picture him as.
> 
> I also really love Sirius and the Black Brother's relationship dynamic seems so interesting to me, I wanted to explore it slightly.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Lord made a big mistake in injuring Regulus Black's house-elf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please pay attention to the tags! There will be mentions of child abuse, suicide ideation, depression, PTSD, mild eating disorders and violence throughout the entirety of this fic. There are also mentions of anxiety and panic attacks so please be cautious!

Regulus had been confused when the Dark Lord requested the use of a house elf.

He had been even more confused when he had specifically asked _him_ for his elf. Surely Bellatrix would have been all too eager to offer up Dippy, the Lestrange elf.

Not that he wasn't grateful for the opportunity, he just didn't understand why he'd asked Regulus specifically.

He had been looking for a way to prove to the Dark Lord that he was just as devoted as his cousin. He had also been looking for a way to prove to his mother that he wasn't thinking of running away and becoming a blood-traitor just like Sirius had. This offered an odd but fairly easy way to demonstrate that. He didn't have to hurt anyone or do anything morally questionable, all he had to do was ensure his loyal house-elf would complete the Dark Lord's task.

Easy.

Or at least, it should have been easy.

It wasn't even the fact that he had never truly been loyal to the cause that caused the doubt to blossom. And oh, wouldn't mother be angry if she knew that.

He had never really wanted to join the Dark Lord, but Sirius had run away and mother was even more unhinged now. So much so, that she had immediately pushed for Regulus to take the mark. She'd organised everything so quickly and had thrown so much praise and money upon the cause that the Dark Lord had complied within a week of Sirius' betrayal.

Bellatrix had seemed awfully jealous, likely due to the fact that Regulus was now the youngest person to carry the Mark being only fifteen, weeks shy of his sixteenth birthday. The Dark Lord had made it clear that he was an exception and the lowest one could be marked would still be seventeen for everyone else, he had no use for those that couldn't perform magic without the Ministry being alerted. 

Mother had been so pleased when they arrived home from the cold, dark ballroom in which the initiation had taken place. If she wasn't Walburga Black she likely would have wept with joy. Instead, she had ordered Kreacher to bring her the best bottle of wine they owned and had retreated to the parlour for the night. His father hadn't even known they'd been gone.

Unsurprising really, he was always holed up in his study. He rarely bothered with anything anymore, Regulus wondered if his fathers emotional range had ever extended beyond apathy.

As it was, Regulus was having severe doubts. The Dark Lord had taken Kreacher almost two hours ago and Regulus had barely been able to sit still since. He had paced the length of his room so much he wouldn't be surprised if he'd worn out the wood of his floor.

All he could think about was the sick, manic grin on the Dark Lord's face as he and Kreacher disapparated in a whirl of shadows. 

Not that he'd expected the Dark Lord to be reassuring. It was only a house-elf after all, a mere possession that could be replaced as far as most wizards were concerned. Even some Light wizards were of the same belief.

He'd say Sirius was an example of this, but his brother certainly wasn't Light. At least, not as Light as his friends. Sirius was much more Grey than he'd probably like to admit, but Regulus knew this to be true as he was the same.

He wondered if his mother would be appalled at the knowledge that _both_ of her sons were disappointments in this regard.

However, he had always made his affections for Kreacher well known. His mother had given up at this point, she only scowled and tutted if she saw him being kind to the elf. It was the one thing her punishments were never able to change. Even Sirius only ever scoffed when he saw it - well he used to, up until he ran away of course.

Up until he had _abandoned_ him.

It happened so suddenly, Regulus could barely comprehend what was happening.

A pop of apparition followed by, "M- Mas-" in the croaky voice of his beloved house-elf. "Mast- ter. K-Krea-" The elf dissolved in hacking, wet coughs. His small form shaking and rocking, chest heaving as he dripped some kind of dark, scummy liquid onto the floor of his bedroom. Blood was leaking from a few scratches on his frail body and every time the elf let out a wet cough, blood would spray from his open mouth.

Regulus was utterly horrified at the sight.

Kreacher had always been kind to him, had always patched up his skinned knees and carefully arranged his clothing, taking note of his personal favourites and always ensured any uncomfortable fabrics were as soft as he could make them on his delicate skin.

In turn, he had always made sure to be kind to Kreacher. They used to play together when mother wasn't looking and Sirius was off doing something else with Bella, back when they used to get along like matchsticks to a flame. Kreacher would always tuck him in and made sure to bring him his favourite biscuits and a cup of hot chocolate whenever he was distressed.

The only person to care about him in such a way was Sirius. Sirius who abandoned him at the start of the summer, only staying at home for three days before he threw whatever he could in a bag and left. Not even stopping to say goodbye to him, only focused on leaving.

Kreacher had been incensed on his behalf. The elf had patted Regulus consoling as the boy sobbed in the linen cupboard his mother locked him in when she found out Sirius had left. He had cried until he physically couldn't anymore, unable to remove himself from the catatonic state as he realised what this meant.

That he was alone and nobody really cared.

Nobody but Kreacher.

"Kreacher!" Regulus cried, dropping harshly on his terribly thin knees to wrap his arms around his friend. "Take deep breaths! That's it, just relax. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you." He assured, "Can you heal yourself, Kreacher? Is there anything I can do?"

Kreacher was still trembling, "Ma- master Reg-"

"Focus on breathing!" He interjected as the elf began to wheeze. 

"K- Kreacher can d- do it." The elf managed to splutter as he attempted to pull away from Regulus.

He didn't want to distress him, but Regulus could tell Kreacher was only making himself worse. "No, Kreacher. I order you to stay here, I'll patch you up. You are to stay calm and focus on breathing, okay?"

Regulus waited for Kreacher to stop trying to wriggle away before rushing to the loose floorboard in the kneehole of his school desk. He pulled the board up and ignored his shaking hands as he rifled through the contents.

Kreacher had magically expanded the space for him years ago - some time before he started Hogwarts. It housed all the items his mother would not approve of. Of course, if she ever explicitly asked, Kreacher would have to tell her, but as long as she didn't, the items were safe.

Plus, Regulus had carved some runes onto the board to obscure it from her sight so even if she found it, unless she were extremely focused on this specific task, she would likely suddenly remember something else of importance. 

Inside the floorboard was a variety of items. There were books of muggle origin, letters from Andromeda he knew his mother would punish him severely for as well as many, many items that either belonged to or somehow involved Sirius.

One of his Gryffindor scarves the boy thought he'd lost, (Regulus stole it when he'd seen Sirius leave it on the back of a chair in the library one day) letters the boys had traded throughout Sirius' first year. There was also a stack of photos of the two, some of which were muggle - Sirius had found a muggle photo booth and they'd had a strip of photos taken - as well as more recent family photos, ones which mother would have burned had Regulus not quietly taken them away from her sight.

However, more importantly, there was also an abundant supply of what Regulus liked to call - Punishment Pleasers.

These include healing, nutrient and supplement potions, various salves, oils and pastes as well as bandages. There was even a small supply of food and water in case mother decided to deny him meals - a punishment she used to favour until she realised Regulus' small frame drew attention. It was something people still brought up, where Sirius was tall and broad enough to be a beater, Regulus was lithe and a few inches shorter, the perfect frame for a seeker.

Sirius had never been denied food, her Heir had to be strong after all and couldn't have any physical restrictions. She would happily bruise him, maim him and break his bones, but she wouldn't dare risk stunting his growth the way she did Regulus. 

Couldn't risk the children he must sire having any birth defects.

Regulus swiped up the necessary potions and salves before replacing the floorboard. He shuffled over to Kreacher and hastily applied the disinfecting potion before pulling his wand from his pocket. He spared a moment to be glad his parents were both in as their presence would mask his use of magic before waving his wand in specific motions to try and soothe Kreacher's pain.

"Kreacher," he began, carefully rearranging his friend once most of the tremors seemed to have subsided, "I need you to tell me everything. Tell me exactly what happened from the moment you left tonight, spare no details. I must know everything."

Kreacher looked ready to protest before the magic of the explicit order his master gave him cause him to pause, he met Regulus' eyes before nodding. "Kreacher will tell, Master. Kreacher apologises for being a bad-"

"None of that, Kreacher. Just tell me what happened, you have nothing to apologise for." He said firmly, he hated seeing his friend like this. Kreacher didn't deserve this. He was simply doing as he was instructed - what could the Dark Lord have possibly gotten his poor house-elf into?

After spluttering for a few moments, Kreacher had begun to explain what had taken place.

It left Regulus feeling numbly horrified.

A trip to a secluded cave followed by an unspeakable poison before being left to the tender care of murderous inferi? Regulus had to pinch himself a few times to make sure he was still awake, for this could not be real. It had to be a dream - some kind of awful nightmare. Except.. a glance at his little friend's bloodshot eyes and still softly shivering form proved he was very much awake.

Even in his worst nightmares, he could never have pictured this.

Not only had the Dark Lord put Kreacher through these horrors, but he had left him for dead.

He had left his house-elf, his closest friend, to _die_ scared and alone.

An almighty rage burned within him. How _dare_ he? How dare _anyone_ do such a thing to his house-elf? 

Regulus clenched his fists to stop himself from letting out an indignant screech. He had to think. He _needed_ to think.

He turned back to Kreacher who was watching him warily, "Do not fret, Kreacher. I want you to go to bed and rest. You will not speak of this night to anyone. You will not leave the house, you are to stay completely unseen by everyone and shall only respond to Mother, Father or myself. Relax for the night, you have more than earned your rest."

It was always best to be as clear as possible with house-elves, even one as loyal as Kreacher could always choose to interpret orders in nefarious ways.

It was unlikely of course, most elves have been brainwashed into believing they do not deserve anything _more_ than the substandard treatment they get. This has led to a race of powerful and intelligent creatures that are above all, fiercely loyal to wizards.

However, their loyalty can be swayed and Regulus has heard tales of elves betraying their masters every so often, usually in extreme circumstances or on the behest of another master - one which the elf chooses to recognise as their _true_ master.

For example, while Sirius could always order Kreacher around, he rarely complied unless given no choice but to do so. The same was true for his father. Kreacher was loyal to his mother of course, largely out of fear, but even _her_ orders could be overlooked if Regulus was the one giving the conflicting orders. Kreacher had made it clear early on that Regulus was his favourite, something which was immensely helpful throughout the years.

Plus, Kreacher was his friend. His friend who had been injured because of him.

Certainly the Dark Lord was _truly_ at fault here, but Regulus had been the one to hand over Kreacher as if he meant nothing.

As if he wasn't his closest friend.

Kreacher merely nodded, "As Master wishes."

The house-elf disappeared with a muted pop and Regulus silently thanked him for doing so. Apparition could be far too obnoxious in his opinion. That ridiculously loud crack always irritated him and he was eager to learn apparition so that he could find ways to silence the awful noise. It wouldn't do to announce his presence all the time, after all.

Another bonus to Kreacher's carefulness was that Mother was still sound asleep. He wasn't sure he was in the right frame of mind to deal with her simpering over the Dark Lord. Or even worse, listen to her brag about how Druella would be tremendously jealous over such an honour being bestowed upon her son.

"A cave." He muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair and scrunching his nose slightly. "A.. locket? Why? What's so-" He shook his head. This didn't make any sense. Why would the Dark Lord go to such extremes?

A blood sacrifice at the hidden entrance to a seemingly random cave would deter most people by itself. This, followed by a lake with a concealed boat as the only way to a strange podium on a tiny islet.. it all seemed overly cautious. 

Overly paranoid.

Unless of course, the locket wasn't a mere trinket.

After all these steps, the potion and the rush of inferi would _certainly_ take care of any thieves. Regulus was honestly baffled at the need for such secrecy. What could the significance of an, according to Kreacher, gaudy looking necklace be?

His mind was still too scattered. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Kreacher alone and helpless, pleading for him to come and rescue the poor elf. Except, in these flashes, nobody came. Kreacher never managed to escape. The thought broke his heart. If Kreacher truly had been lost tonight, Regulus wasn't sure how he would have coped.

After Sirius left, Kreacher was all he had.

He couldn't lose Kreacher.

He needed to make it up to him, and it could only be done by doing something drastic.

Regulus rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "Great, just fantastic." He murmured as he pulled back the sheets on his bed. He couldn't be bothered to change out his dirty clothes, he was exhausted mentally.

He also couldn't help but feel slightly hysterical, the way his thoughts were going, he was likely going to end up stealing the locket to spite the Dark Lord. Especially if the locket ended up being something important - which it must be given the protections in place.

Because, of course, that was the only logical solution.

Regulus sighed slightly as he finally shut his eyes. 

He needed rest.

He could plot the demise of that _tyrant_ tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I'm nervous to post this - it's been a while since I've written but I just love Regulus and Sirius so much..
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! This will have multiple parts and I'll likely post at least once a day, perhaps more.


	2. The Plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus Black must avenge his house-elf, he begins to plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Suicide ideation, hints of depression and mentions of character injury!

When Regulus awoke, he couldn't help but pray silently that he had dreamt the whole awful affair.

Upon glancing down at the pond scum smeared across his shirt and the blood from Kreacher's wounds staining his fingertips, he knew this to be false and only just refrained from screaming.

Kicking off the comforter, he stumbled into the bathroom and tried to think of anything _but_ last night's events.

He went through the motions of stripping himself and scrubbing all of the questionable stains from his body and refused to think about the fact that he may very well die soon.

Because, when thinking about what must happen next, he only had one solution.

He had to steal the locket and could only _hope_ to escape with his life.

It was something that terrified him and also brought him a strange sense of peace. He had known from the moment his mother began to talk of the Dark Lord, speaking of him with such reverence that he'd known this would be his downfall. He knew, back when he was barely starting Hogwarts, that one day he would die, likely painfully, branded a slave to a psychopath.

Perhaps this was his way out, a way to escape with his morals in tact. 

Honestly, he was lucky in some ways. _Most_ who joined the Dark Lord had to prove themselves in some way. Usually, this was through some kind of horrific act. Bellatrix had shown her proficiency with the Cruciatus curse, something she had bragged about shortly after her initiation. She had gone into explicit detail of the way the muggle she had abducted was tortured extensively before she Imperiused the poor man into ripping his own eyeballs out. Bella had then explained how the Dark Lord was terribly pleased with her and he had seen the manic devotion in her eyes as she spoke of him, as well as the utter disgust in Andromeda and Sirius'.

He had barely slept that night.

Others had to prove themselves too. Generally, well respected purebloods could get away with simply gaining the mark freely, it was the half-bloods or the lesser purebloods that had to prove themselves.

Upon learning this, he had known for certain the Bellatrix he had grown up with was gone for good. The Bella that had played with him and Sirius was gone. She hadn't needed to do such a thing - she just wanted to for her own amusement.

Those from lesser families usually proved themselves through an act of murder, he knew a blood-traitor daughter from the Nott family had been savagely assaulted by her father when he had wished to try and restore his family's honour. The Dark Lord had supposedly been so thrilled by the act, he had bestowed the Mark onto all those within the Nott family who wished to join - the empty threat of what would happen if they dared to refuse had hung clearly in the air.

It made him wonder what the half-bloods had to do. He knew many had joined or wished to join the Dark Lord, Severus Snape was one good example who hadn't _yet_ joined but very likely would as soon as he graduated. If murder was expected of the purebloods, he could only imagine how it was for everyone else.

Then again, he doubted they would care. 

Most who joined the Dark Lord did so willingly. He can think of a _few,_ himself included, that were coerced into joining by their families lest they lose their lives, but they were in the minority. 

Regulus exited his bathroom and made quick work of dressing himself. He hastily put on a shirt to cover the ghastly stain on his left forearm, the sight of it always made him feel sick. He knew he wouldn't have been able to do such grisly acts if the Dark Lord had expected it, no matter how much he may value his life.

It wasn't that murder was unjustifiable to him, quite the contrary in fact. He had always believed that _some_ people truly did deserve to be removed from this planet. However, there was a difference between someone who would only cause pain and terror if left to live, and someone who was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, an innocent.

He couldn't senselessly kill people, moreover, he didn't want to.

He wasn't sure how long he could get away with staying out of the raids though. Once he turned seventeen, the excuse of the Trace would disappear and he would be forced to participate lest his loyalty come into question.

Perhaps dying two years early wasn't so bad. 

If he were brave enough, he'd likely follow in Sirius' footsteps. Or maybe he'd make it clear to his mother that she needed him much more than he needed her - he was her only son now, her only chance for a legitimate heir to continue on the family legacy. 

However, he couldn't do that. As much as he despised her views and her treatment of others, she was his mother. She terrified him much more than the Dark Lord ever could. A simple displeased glance from her made his knees tremble and his body shiver in anticipation of the next punishment she would hand out.

He had never been able to feel like anything but a child to her. A useless, _worthless_ child she never wanted but was obligated to have. An heir and a spare. He felt the phrase was terribly fitting, he had always felt like an afterthought. Regulus knew only Kreacher _truly_ cared about him, but even he could be swayed by a firm order, however unlikely it may be that he would actually listen and actively betray Regulus.

Regulus paused in the straightening of his hair.

Well, he knew one other person who cared about him. But clearly not enough. And he certainly wasn't that person's priority.

Not anymore.

Thinking of Sirius made him feel hollow.

It was easy to ignore the mind-numbing terror and betrayal he'd felt upon noting Sirius' absence after he ran away, but at times it caught up with him.

Worthless, unimportant, easily forgettable...

Easily replaceable.

And oh, didn't that make the betrayal sting even worse.

Because he _had_ been replaced.

He had been replaced the moment James Potter looked at Sirius Black and decided to become his best friend.

To become his _brother._

As if Sirius didn't already _have one._

One that loved him so, so much.

_Please, please brother don't leave me._

And Sirius had done so. Had easily thrown Regulus aside. Not that he could blame him, he had upgraded to a much better brother according to everyone else, Regulus could only cling on to the memories he had of Sirius, the only things that didn't make him want to dissolve into the madness that was slowly consuming him.

He was pretty sure he needed help, it couldn't be normal for a fifteen year old to be so ready to throw his life away on what was essentially a one-way trip.

Was he suicidal? Maybe. Maybe not _actively_ suicidal, but certainly unwilling to care for his own safety any longer. Not when he didn't have much else to live for.

Sirius was gone, Kreacher was clearly in danger around him and he only had a couple years before he would be forced into doing unspeakable things.

This way, he would be going out with a bang. He would be doing something important. Something _good,_ perhaps.

"Kreacher?" He called softly, sitting on the end of his bed.

The elf appeared instantly - so quickly he hadn't even finished calling his name before his friend was wrapping his tiny arms around the legs that were dangling off the bed. "Master called Kreacher?"

"Oh Kreacher, I am so happy to see you looking better." He beamed and dropped down to the elf's eye level. He examined his friend carefully, tilting him different directions so he could properly look at him, "Your wounds have already healed, did you do this?"

Kreacher looked slightly unsure, "Yes Master. Kreacher did not want Mistress to see."

Regulus doubted Walburga Black would care if her house elf were ripped apart right in front of her, let alone carrying a few small scratches. She'd probably give him a few more, for daring to interrupt whatever she was doing. "Good. Well done, my friend. I have a few questions for you, if you're feeling up to it, that is."

"Of course, Master! Anything for my Master Regulus!"

Regulus patted the elf's head and sat cross legged in front of him, inwardly smiling when the elf copied his actions. They must be a strange sight. "Thank you, Kreacher. Firstly, do you remember my orders from last night? The ones in which I said you _must_ stay hidden? Others can not know of your survival Kreacher, if mother asks what happened, you are to tell her it is top secret - that the Dark Lord _himself_ ordered your silence."

Kreacher nodded fiercely. "Of course, Master! Kreacher understands."

"Good. I'm very proud of you Kreacher, you have followed all of my instructions perfectly. I truly could not have a better friend, nor could the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black have such a loyal house-elf."

He was laying it on a bit thick, but he knew ensuring Kreacher's good faith in him was important. He didn't want his friend to doubt that he cared for him, not after he had almost lost his life for something Regulus had ordered of him. 

"Oh Master Regulus, such a kind and great Master. Kreacher does not deserve such a brilliant Master. Master's kind words are wasted on old Kreacher." The elf sniffled, eyes welling with tears.

"No need to cry Kreacher, I am merely being truthful." He assured, taking out a handkerchief and dabbing the elf's eyes. "Now, secondly, you said the Dark Lord placed a locket in the basin? I need you to describe the locket to me, in as much detail as you can remember." He said, fishing out a piece of parchment and a quill from the schoolbag by his bed.

"Yes Master.. it was very big. Much bigger than Lady Black's prized heirloom!" Kreacher stated and Regulus' eyes widened.

"Truly?" 

Mother's locket was an ostentatious thing. A thick, silver chain with a large black jewel that had been passed down for centuries. 

"Oh yes, Master. The chain was gold and heavy-"

"The Dark Lord allowed you to hold it?" He cut in sharply. That was odd, if it was such a precious and valuable item, why would the Dark Lord leave it with an elf that was not his own?

Kreacher looked odd for a moment, one hand making a strange shape as he mimed holding something. "The Dark Lord said Kreacher must feel it's excellence. That Kreacher should be honoured.. that not many could say they had held such an item."

Regulus frowned, "And how did it feel Kreacher? Other than heavy."

"It was..." Kreacher looked terribly bleak for a second, "Wrong. Bad. Worse than Mistress's nightmare box."

That was Dark magic. That was _especially_ Dark magic.

The nightmare box was one of his mother's prized possessions. A music box that lulled you into an endless dream plagued by nightmares. It was sometimes referred to as Pandora's Box by members of the family. One only had a few seconds to react before they would be trapped in a nightmare that lasted until their physical body died. 

"It made Kreacher feel things. Kreacher felt cold and- and angry. Kreacher felt like he had fallen _into_ the nightmare box. It felt bad Master, very bad."

"Do you mean the actual locket, or the magic surrounding the locket?"

"Both, Master."

Regulus' brows were pinched as he noted this all down on his parchment. "What was the pendant like? Was it jewelled or more plain? Was there an engraving?"

Kreacher nodded suddenly, eyes wide and he seemed pleased that he could help Regulus. "Yes! It was! There was a large gold piece with green jewels. The green was in the shape of a large 'S' Master, the Dark Lord said it was an heirloom, more priceless than useless old Kreacher could understand."

Regulus ignored the anger that shot through him at the casual insult. He knew the Dark Lord had very little regard for others but it still angered him to hear his precious house-elf speak so poorly of himself. 

"An heirloom?" Regulus queried, he pondered for a moment before shaking his head. The only family he could imagine having such an item was long extinct. Regulus continued to scrawl a few designs for a minute, rough outlines and stopped suddenly on his third sketch when Kreacher shoved a finger towards the drawing he was finishing.

"This one! Like this Master! But bigger!" The elf seemed so excited to be able to please Regulus.

"Thank you Kreacher, was it more like this?" He asked, showing off a new design. The locket in his drawing had the thick chain Kreacher had described and the pendant was an oval shape, a large 'S' in the centre with small circles throughout to show the glittering jewels. 

"Yes! Yes Master! Very much so, Kreacher remembers the locket being just like this." He said proudly, looking up at Regulus with a reverence he never felt he deserved.

Regulus smiled thinly. "Thank you Kreacher, this is very helpful. Could you explain the potion too?" At this, Kreacher grimaced and Regulus placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Just as much as you can, you'll never have to take that awful poison again. I swear it." Because if anyone would be drinking it, it would be Regulus. He would never ask such a thing of Kreacher, not again.

Kreacher nodded and began to explain. 

Regulus listened intently as the elf went into detail about the potions appearance, scent and taste and Regulus' hand was flying over his parchment as he noted down every little thing the elf said. 

While he was a genius at potions, it was often difficult to identify specific potions based on these factors alone. Many potions looked and smelled similar, but tasted vastly different. Some potions had no taste or scent at all and it was only by a specific sheen or pigment that the potion could be identified.

Of course, knowing the aftermath of ingesting the potion also helped narrow down his options.

Just through that alone, he knew he was dealing with some kind of draught that induced a nightmare like effect. It tortured its consumer mentally, showing them memories or perhaps hallucinations that had been twisted to cause further damage. Physically, it brought on extreme thirst and a burning sensation in the throat, all the way down to the stomach but didn't seem to be too physically painful to endure.

The emphasis with this poison was clearly on the psychological effects, paired with the inferi filled lake and the desperate need to drink water, it was the perfect way to safeguard whatever the locket was.

 _That_ was another piece of the puzzle.

He couldn't go in to this without knowing that the locket was.

His mind raced as he tried to piece it all together.

It was an heirloom, meaning the Dark Lord was of pureblood ancestry. This he knew. It was expected of someone who believed all those _not_ of pureblood were cattle, otherwise it would be a little hypocritical. Though, he had always questioned - quietly of course, the ancestry of the Dark Lord.

There were many Dark Lord's over the years, all very prideful in their lineages. The Black family could certainly boast a couple, as could a few other families. He thought it strange the man did not openly discuss his heritage. Of course, he may not be British, he could be a foreign pureblood, but he deemed this unlikely. Dumbledore seemed to know him too keenly, and the way the Dark Lord avoided outright confronting him proved that Dumbledore knew something about the Dark Lord.

Perhaps, he had known him _before_ he became Lord Voldemort.

Regulus paused for a moment as he thought this over. It was certainly possible. He wasn't sure exactly how old the Dark Lord was, but he _couldn't_ be older than Dumbledore. In fact, he was now certain that Dumbledore had known Voldemort _before_ he became a tyrant.

The Dark Lord also seemed to have a strange connection with those of his parent's age. Abraxas Malfoy for example had been openly supportive of the Dark Lord even before Bella had gotten involved. Curious. Regulus wondered, if Abraxas Malfoy and Albus Dumbledore both knew the Dark Lord from before he became a Dark Lord, they must have all met somewhere. 

Due to both of their connections within the Ministry and with Hogwarts, Regulus knew these were the only possibilities, well, not the _only_ ones, but the most likely. Both were well connected within the Ministry, holding their own high ranking positions or being friendly with those of good standing. Both also had connections to Hogwarts, Dumbledore having been a teacher and now headmaster, whilst Abraxas was a student and was now on the Board of Governors. 

Although the Ministry could be possible, Regulus felt that Hogwarts made more sense.

If the Dark Lord were more connected to the Ministry, his real identity would have gotten out by now. All of those that worked within the Ministry were susceptible to public scrutiny, only the Unspeakables of the Department of Mysteries were able to keep their identities a secret but even they had to answer to somebody. Plus, it would be easy to disappear after graduating Hogwarts and assume a new identity. At least, if one was skilled and talented enough.

Regulus looked down at his parchment. The locket was a gaudy thing, priceless apparently and carrying an aura so Dark, a house-elf from a Dark family was unnerved by it.

The glittering green 'S' Kreacher had described was symbolic of only one person, Salazar Slytherin.

Mentally, Regulus added another point to the possibility of Voldemort having attended Hogwarts.

But how could that be? Salazar Slytherin's only descendants were the Gaunt family - a family so inbred even the Black's looked down on them. Because of course, cousins was okay, siblings and parent-child couplings were not. 

He also knew they lived in squalor. It was something his mother used to laugh about over family dinners with Great Aunt Cassie, that rumours suggested they lived in a shack until they'd died out. Surely if the Dark Lord were a missing Gaunt son, everyone would know. Unless of course, the Dark Lord was lying about the locket being an heirloom, but it was so _easy_ to disprove. It had to be true, then. The Dark Lord would not bother to lie to a house-elf he had expected to die anyway. And that was the reason he believed he had even let the information slip.

Voldemort had expected Kreacher to die in that cave, so what did it matter if he knew such a vital piece of information? Information that Kreacher himself didn't know the worth of.

Regulus sighed wearily. He tried to recall the book of pureblood lineages he had been forced to memorise. He knew all about the main pureblood families connected to Britain. Even those _not_ in the Sacred Twenty-Eight like the Potter's or those that were now extinct. His mother had ensured he and Sirius knew all about them, especially the Dark families as they would be able to tell the 'right sort' to associate with.

He assumed Sirius used this a guide for the opposite.

The Gaunt family ended with a father, a son and a daughter. The daughter disappeared sometime in the late 20's, during this time, her father and brother were in Azkaban for assaulting some muggles. Supposedly the daughter was already gone by the time the two were released and was never heard from again. This, he supposed, could explain the identity of the Dark Lord's mother. 

It could be possible that she had been with child, perhaps her brother's or her father's and she had ran as soon as she realised she could be free. But he doubted this, a pureblooded Gaunt, no matter how poor or inbred would have value. Would have claimed their heritage to bring back honour to the family name.

No, it was much more likely the father of the child was someone else. Likely, someone others would not accept.

A half-blood she had met, perhaps? Maybe even a muggleborn, Regulus wasn't sure. Either way, he felt slightly accomplished. He may be completely wrong, but it would make sense. 

Now, what about the magic _surrounding_ the locket.

A curse would be pointless, not with all the other protections in place. So, an enchantment of some kind? Regulus thought this over before groaning, there were just _so_ many possibilities. It was narrowed down slightly as he knew there was nothing Light involved. He highly doubted anything that involved the Dark Lord could be Light in any way, but the way Kreacher described this only strengthened his resolve.

It had to be _extremely_ Dark. It was the only reason Kreacher, an elf from the Black family, would be so unnerved by it.

Regulus briefly remembered the abundance of Dark magic books he'd seen in the family library. He knew he'd have to carefully comb through all the tomes he could and write down any possible explanations about what the locket _truly_ was. He jumped to his feet and dismissed Kreacher, again, giving clear instructions not to speak of this to anyone and to keep his head down.

He had some research to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, Regulus is beginning to form a plan!
> 
> Tell me your thoughts, again I'll likely update at least once a day! Hope you all enjoyed!


	3. The Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus learns the true nature of the locket, he must do what is right.

Regulus closed the book with a huff. This was the twelfth book he'd scoured through and although he had filled two pieces of parchment with possibilities, none of them seemed to fit. He'd been searching for hours and found nothing of import.

He had noted down ideas such as a beacon that used blood to activate, a focus point for numerous dark rituals and the closest so far, an item that could be worn to drain the life of the wearer. He could understand these being protected, they were all valuable and in the right circumstances could create unimaginable chaos. But none of them pinged the way he felt they should.

None of them immediately made him feel cold and hopeless like Kreacher described. None made his magic lash out and his entire being consumed with immeasurable anger the way Kreacher had been.

Regulus pulled Magick Moste Evil closer to him, he had put off reading this book due to it's gory nature. It was considered a pinnacle Dark Arts book - one so foul there were a very limited number of copies and there were rumours that the author had been executed upon its publication. He didn't know if that was true and he certainly didn't wish to find out.

He winced slightly and began flicking through the pages. He'd always been a fast reader, able to glean information from broken up sentences at a much faster rate than his classmates. This was largely due to the fact that he'd spent a large portion of his childhood surrounded by books.

Learning always fascinated him, so much so that the Sorting Hat had made it quite clear he belonged in Ravenclaw.

_"Hmm, an exceedingly bright boy, you are. Oh yes, exceptionally so. A thirst for knowledge as well as a need to belong. You will get both of those in Ravenclaw my boy, you will find a true home and will keep that which you value most."_

To this day, Regulus isn't _quite_ sure what it is that he values most. He had always valued his intelligence, his wit and his quick mind, they were points of pride for him. He also had always valued his abilities with magic. But he hadn't lost these by begging the hat for Slytherin. Perhaps his dignity? His morals? He'd certainly lost parts of those.

He'd also lost his brother, the person he loved most, but he couldn't think of that now. 

Thinking of Sirius hurt too much.

As Regulus continued to peruse the book before him, his mind wondered to what he would do with the knowledge he hoped to gain from this book.

He remembered Sirius always telling him he could go to him if he needed help, but he highly doubted that still stood. Not after he'd abandoned him. And he couldn't go to Dumbledore, blame it on the years of brainwashing but he didn't quite trust the man. Especially if his suspicions that Dumbledore knew Voldemort's true identity. Doesn't he realise just how many of his supporters would turn their backs on him should his heritage be known?

Most purebloods would never bow to anyone, let alone a half-blood which is exactly what he expected the Dark Lord was.

Doesn't he realise how many innocent lives could be saved?

How many terrified young people have been forced into joining this psychopath due to their families expectations?

How many of them wish for freedom?

No, he did not trust Dumbledore. Who's to say he would do anything with the information anyway? What good was the _location_ of a highly protected cave? Regulus had to work out what was going on first. He had to get the locket and hopefully he'd live to see it through. If not.. well, he'd be dead, so it wouldn't make a difference to him.

But perhaps if he gave Kreacher orders to take the locket to Dumbledore, he could do something then. And if that happens, maybe Sirius would know the truth. Maybe Regulus' death would mean something. Maybe he wouldn't be known as a pathetic, _weak_ excuse of a boy that got in over his head with a group of radicals. 

Maybe his brother would be _proud_ of him.

As he turned the page from a lengthy description of a spell that would cause the victim's stomach to fill with burning hot rocks, he froze as he read a single word on the next page.

Horcrux.

Just the name sent a shiver down his spine and he felt both strangely excited and a strong sense of apprehension that came shortly after. He read through the disappointingly brief description and couldn't contain the shaky exhale as he noted the single word down.

It fit.

It made so much sense that Regulus was tempted to start hysterically laughing.

Or crying.

He read the description again and again, it made _so_ much sense.

The Dark Lord had boasted his magical exploits, how he alone had gone farther than any other, how no other wizard had taken magic to such extremes.

 _"A receptacle in which a wizard has intentionally placed a part of their soul."_ It read, _"Something done in the hopes to gain immortality as although the wizard's body may be destroyed, their soul would still live on."_

Safely enclosed within an object.

One guarded by multiple levels of protection.

Regulus' stomach churned. Oh _Merlin,_ it made _so much_ sense. His hands began to shake as he closed the book, he had already copied down every single word of the paragraph on Horcruxes. He waved his wand and sent all the other books back to their places on the shelves. Carefully, he folded his parchment and burned the others - they were useless now. He knew _exactly_ what he was dealing with and it certainly wasn't a potion designed to slowly turn the victims blood to lead.

He held the parchment carefully and place it in his inside shirt pocket. As he left the library he saw his mother approaching and tried to school his features and could only hope he didn't look as unnerved as he felt.

"Regulus." She called, looking at him through narrowed eyes. "I trust our Lord is pleased?"

Although she said it blithely, he could see the hunger in her eyes, the desperate need for this psychopath's approval. "Yes, Mother. The Dark Lord is pleased, I'm sure Aunt Druella will be hearing of this from Cousin Bella." He replied tonelessly.

Only the slight raising of her chin gave away her delight, "Good. And what of your request to join in on the more important missions?"

This was her clever way of asking why he was not more involved in the bloodshed. "He does not wish to alert the Ministry to his actions, Mother. Our Lord is very cautious, there are too many muggle-lovers in the Ministry. Once I am of age however, I will be as active as Bella is." He hoped he sounded convincing enough considering he was lying through his teeth.

"Muggles." She spat, "Filth that must be eradicated. You will continue to please our Lord, Regulus." The threat in her voice made a cold feeling prickle on the back of his neck, she _terrified_ him. She was his _mother_ and yet she _terrified_ him. No matter that he was the favourite son according to most, that would not stop Walburga Black's fury being unleashed should he disappoint her.

"Of course, Mother. In the meantime, I shall focus on my studies so I can properly please our Lord. It would not do for him to be left wanting." He added, gesturing to the library which he had just excited.

She glanced inside, likely trying to find a fault in what he had done before nodding once. "Very well. Off you go. I shall be joining Cygnus and Druella for lunch, ask Kreacher to make you something should you get hungry." She did not wait for a response before turning and walking away, dismissing him entirely.

Regulus felt that emptiness return as he entered his bedroom. He shut the door behind him and leaned against the wood. If he had a proper mother, perhaps he could confide in her, could tell her he was scared, that he was only a child and he didn't know what to do. Perhaps she would wrap him in his arms and coo softly, would soothe him with her words and would give him advice.

However, he did not have a proper mother and therefore he was stuck on this mission, he didn't _want_ to die but he truly didn't see another option. 

This was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.

This wasn't simply a trinket, it wasn't even a cleverly enchanted weapon. 

It was a piece of the Dark Lord's _soul._

It was what tied him to life, what made him immortal. It meant that even if someone managed to get extremely lucky and killed him, he would still be alive. He'd be a bodiless wraith, but alive. Furthermore, he had more than enough supporters that would work tirelessly to bring him a body back. Bellatrix for example, would set the whole globe alight in an effort to find her Lord.

This was too dangerous, far too dangerous to involve anyone else.

Even if he and Sirius were on better terms, or if he had actual friends he could trust, or a mentor even - this was a death sentence.

If the Dark Lord knew Kreacher had survived, he would likely kill not only Regulus, but anyone close enough to the family just to prove a point. 

Regulus shivered. He'd probably hunt down the disowned _Squib's_ too out of pure spite.

Staring at the articles he'd attached to his walls to try and prove he was loyal, his stomach turned again and he had to rush into the en-suite and lean over the sink. He looked down at the mess he'd made and wasn't surprised when it automatically vanished. Tiny hands tugged at his slacks and Regulus shakily took the damp cloth that was offered to him to clean his mouth.

"Thank you, Kreacher."

"You is welcome, Master."

After a solid hour of succumbing to the mind-numbing panic that followed this revelation, he simply sat on his bed and stared at the parchment in front of him. He had vomited twice since that first time and each time Kreacher was right there beside him.

Kreacher who had almost died because of this _foul_ piece of magic.

And it truly was foul, all accounts of Horcruxes were few and far between and sorely lacking information. He'd requested Kreacher to bring him any books in the library that even mention the word Horcrux but had been unsuccessful. Only Magick Moste Evil _specifically_ mentioned Horcruxes. He wanted to try the restricted section at Hogwarts and the main Black Family Library housed in the main Black Manor, his paternal Grandparents residence, but couldn't do that without raising suspicion. 

The restricted section was too well monitored and honestly he doubted Albus Dumbledore would allow such a foul thing to even be hinted at within any book in Hogwarts.

However, he knew there was an even wider collection of Dark Arts books in Black Manor.

Unfortunately, he only ever went there during special occasions, the closest of which was Yule.

Which was _months_ away.

He couldn't wait that long, as much as he wished he could, he knew he had to get the locket as soon as possible. It needed to be removed from the cave and destroyed. It was the only way Voldemort could possibly meet his demise.

This once priceless heirloom had been tainted by magic so vile Regulus felt what little was left inside him revolt as he leaned over the side of his bed and heaved onto the floor. Kreacher vanished the few spots of thick saliva before worriedly examining him, "Master Regulus is ill. Master is sick. Kreacher must inform Mistr-"

"No!" Regulus choked. That was the last thing he needed. "You are forbidden from telling Mother, Kreacher, do you understand? I am fine, just ate something that upset my stomach." He assured.

The elf startled at his vehemence but conceded sullenly, "Shall Kreacher get Master a stomach soother potion?"

"Thank you, Kreacher." He smiled slightly and the elf snapped his fingers, placing the vial in his hands. Regulus tipped the contents into his mouth and swallowed thickly. His body immediately felt less tense and he sighed shakily, "Kreacher, do you know if Mother has any important trips planned?"

Kreacher looked at him for a moment before nodding slowly, "Mistress is to go to France next week to visit Master Pollux."

Regulus internally cheered. That meant his mother would be gone for at least a couple days to visit her father. She'd also likely take the time to regale the family with the full story of Regulus' initiation and his first task for the Dark Lord. It was also highly possible that she'd visit some of the clothing shops she liked in the French wizarding shopping district - extending her stay.

He could guess she'd be at least three days and couldn't help but smile, "And Father?"

"Master Orion be on business. He be going after Mistress Walburga and returning before she does."

Translation, Father would be using the time Mother was away to act like a real person for a couple days before sequestering himself away for the few months until she was gone again. 

Ah, such a healthy marriage.

Regulus thanked the elf and after he popped away, slumped against the bed. He had a few days to plan before he would be partaking on what was essentially a suicide mission. He wondered if he should bother leaving some kind of letter, perhaps for Sirius or at least for Kreacher. Maybe he could try and ensure Dumbledore knew the nature of the locket, if anyone was powerful enough to destroy the thing it was him, loathe as he was to admit such a thing.

Yes, Regulus had seemingly already made peace with his death.

It was highly unlikely he'd survive. He would be weakened by losing enough blood to even enter the cave, getting to the islet would be simple enough with Kreacher's help, but he would not let the elf consume the potion. He would drink the poison and allow himself to be the perfect bait for the inferi, Kreacher would then be able to disapparate as he has already proven he could. After this, Regulus would be dead and Kreacher will be the only one that knows the Horcrux's location.

He would not survive, he was okay with that.

Regulus looked towards the window and smiled. 

At least it would be worth it, Voldemort was going to pay for everything he'd done.

He would make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind comments!! I’m glad people seem to enjoy this.. and I really appreciate hearing your feedback!
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter!


	4. The Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus goes to the cave. It's now or never.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this is the chapter with the most suicide ideation and depressive thoughts so please be cautious!
> 
> This chapter is also the longest so far - over 5000 words! I used the books for a rough description of the cave, my memory of it had been altered by the movie!

The week leading up to his Mother's departure was oddly peaceful.

Regulus had expected to have some kind of nervous breakdown or to impulsively do something stupid like spilling everything to the first person he saw.

Instead, it was generally much of the same.

Stilted dinners between him and his parents and a lot of hiding in his room or the library under the guise of homework. He had already finished most of his summer homework within the first week, now, he was contemplating simply leaving it unfinished. It wasn't like he'd be able to turn it in.

Regulus had spent a lot of time wondering if he should bother with a letter, to explain everything, his regrets, a plea for forgiveness perhaps, but ultimately decided against it. Any kind of contact was probably unappreciated from Sirius and he had no other close relations. His mother would likely burn him from the family tree should his deceit come to light and his father probably wouldn't even notice he was missing. After all, it had taken him four days to notice Sirius' absence when he left. He had asked mother why she had been screeching for days and upon learning of his eldest sons withdrawal from the family, he had only exhaled once before going back to reading the Prophet. 

Mother had been thunderous in her rage at this careless display.

For Regulus, his _spare,_ his _backup plan,_ it was likely he wouldn't notice him missing until at least Yule.

As for friends, he didn't really have any. He had some acquaintances he conversed with, usually at meals, but (depressingly) had never really had his own friends. Not like Sirius who seemed to be constantly surrounded by people he could trust with his life. Regulus however, had to ensure his bed curtains were always warded just in case.

So, no, there was no point in leaving a letter. He ignored the tiny voice that disagreed, that _Sirius would probably be worried_ and would question his _darling little brother's_ disappearance.

No, Sirius didn't care.

He had to keep telling himself this, hopefully if he reminded himself of this fact, he would stop trying to seek his brother's approval.

His love.

Sirius didn't care and it didn't matter anyway. Regulus was going to die and that was okay. He was doing something _noble,_ something _selfless,_ something _good._

Maybe good enough to absolve him of his sins, maybe he won't forever be tainted by the mark on his arm in the memories of those that once cared about him.

His father had left on business the afternoon before his mother was set to leave. She had sat frostily when she realised he had been so eager to leave her presence he had gone a day early, slowly sipping her wine and making pointed insults at Regulus for anything, including the way his hair laid or how he was gripping his fork. 

She had finished the evening abruptly with a harsh slap to his face, storming off to her rooms when he didn't _immediately_ readjust his grip.

The day his mother _finally_ left for France, she had given him a wintry glare, impressing upon him the importance that he was not to misbehave whilst she was gone and that if he left the house there would be consequences. Likely, she was ensuring her last son wouldn't run away.

Once she was through the floo, he had taken a few hours to compose himself. He wanted to do this later, close to dusk was preferable. Nobody would be able to see them once they got to the rocky cliffs under the cover of night.

After only eating a few bites of a sandwich for dinner, Regulus gave himself a final hour or so to prepare. He had acquired a locket - barely similar, but close enough that a passing glance could hopefully fool the Dark Lord, and would certainly fool anyone else who had only been given a rough description of the thing. If not, well, he'd folded up a little note and left it inside the fake locket, just so the Dark Lord would know who had uncovered his secret.

It was a cheeky thing, pointing out that a _fifteen year old_ had uncovered his secret but Regulus felt this was justified.

He was giving his life for this mission, he believed he was entitled to a little mockery. And boasting, certainly some boasting. Though not too much, he would be dead in the bottom of a lake soon, not exactly exiting the world in a blaze of glory.

Chances were, nobody would ever know what he had done. Regulus Arcturus Black would simply fade out of existence, seemingly unremarkable by all those who knew him and certainly not one for the history books to write about. 

Unfortunately, Mother had forgotten to forbid Kreacher from assisting him in leaving the house. Certainly, she had raised the wards to monitor which rooms he entered and when he exited them, she would likely keep a close eye, especially on any room other than the dining room, his bedroom and the library. 

However, this did not stop him from apparating out from his bedroom, as long as he didn't cross the doorways, he would be undetected.

She also didn't seem to realise _just_ how devoted Kreacher was to Regulus.

"Please, Kreacher. You must understand."

"Master w-will die! Poor, sweet Master Reg- Regulus will be n-no more!" Kreacher wailed after Regulus had finished informing him of his plan. Well, it wasn't much of a plan. More like a few loosely strung together ideas with a rough end goal in mind, to get the locket out.

Regulus sighed wearily, "Kreacher, stop this. I must do this, I implore you to see reason."

"Master will die! Kreacher cannot- Kreacher _will_ not-"

"You will, Kreacher. I am giving you explicit orders to do exactly as I've asked." The elf stopped crying and glared up at Regulus. Defiance was rarely seen in Kreacher, an indication of just how distressing Regulus' wishes were to him. "You will take me to the entrance of the cave, you will let _me_ get us inside and from there you will help me across the lake. Once at the podium, you will allow _me_ to drink the potion. If I am unable to continue, you will-"

He swallowed, he hated asking this of his friend, but he must.

"You will _force_ me to drink it. And after the basin is empty, you will leave. You will take the locket- the Horcrux, and leave. You will tell nobody of what happened, you will not inform Mother, Father or anyone else within the family. Am I clear, Kreacher?"

Regulus spoke calmly but firmly, the elf had no choice but to nod sullenly. "Kreacher lives to serve the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

"Good. This is extremely important Kreacher, th-" He swallowed again, "There _is_ a very high likelihood I will not survive. In that case, you are to try and destroy this locket. If you are unable, you are to take the locket to Albus Dumbledore and inform him of what happened." Kreacher sniffled heavily at this, a few large tears dripping down his hooked nose.

Regulus lowered himself to Kreacher's eye level, laying a hand on his trusted friend's shoulder. 

"Please, my friend. This must be done."

Kreacher looked mournfully at him, as if he was already imagining his funeral before conceding. Perhaps he was picturing the flowers Mother would pick out for his casket. The elf nodded and straightened, "When does Master wish to go?"

Regulus smiled sadly, he knew how hard this was for Kreacher and took the elf's hand as he stood. "Now, Kreacher."

A protest was clearly on the tip of Kreacher's tongue but the magic of the order forced his compliance. Kreacher grasped his hand tightly before they disapparated.

They reappeared on the edge of a cluster of jagged rocks. The wind was howling, battering at the two and causing his thick, black cloak to whirl around him like a mass of angry shadows. The waves roared and every movement sent up a gust of salty sea spray that coated the lower half of his face. He couldn't deny the atmosphere was certainly harrowing, it felt far too fitting, and he noticed Kreacher shuffling uncomfortably.

He swallowed thickly. This was it.

The elf pointed to a dark hole in the cliffs opposite them, "The entrance is there Master. Kreacher can not get any closer."

Regulus frowned slightly, had the Dark Lord heard of Kreacher's survival? Had he placed more wards around the cave? Or maybe this was all just a test of Regulus' loyalty - a test he was clearly failing.

"Kreacher feels magic. The Dark Lord placed magic around the cave. If Kreacher apparates into them the Dark Lord will know."

"But not out of them?"

"No Master, Kreacher will be able to leave, they only check who goes in." 

Regulus startled, "He'll know as soon as we enter the cave?"

Kreacher shook his head, hands wringing in front of him. "No, the Dark Lord only checks apparition. No other monitors are there."

Regulus pondered this for a moment after letting out a relieved sigh. Understandable, the protections on the cave were extensive. It would be unlikely that anyone would be able to survive long enough to get back to the entrance and disapparate. It was also unlikely anyone would even get _in_ to the cave in the first place - not unless they had prior knowledge like he did. 

"Can you not get us _any_ closer?"

Kreacher only looked at the water sadly and Regulus sighed. 

He looked across the jagged boulders beneath his feet and turned to Kreacher, "We'll have to swim. We cant risk using any kind of charms to keep us dry or warm - I'm sorry."

Kreacher scowled but seemed as if he too had reached this conclusion, "Kreacher will _not_ leave Master Regulus. Not like the filthy blood traitor." Regulus felt as if there were multiple meanings to that but ignored it, though Regulus felt a pang in his chest at the casual reference to Sirius' abandonment.

Regulus was thankful the sky was fairly clear, he'd always found comfort in the stars. Perhaps it was due to being named after one, or perhaps it was due to the fond memories he had of he and Sirius learning all of the constellations - one of the few topics they both truly enjoyed. The mythology surrounding them and the fact that they had family members named after many of the celestial body's had always excited both boys.

He took one final glance at the glittering stars, sending them a silent goodbye, before he slid down the side of the rocks and plunged into the water. It was freezing cold and far more treacherous than he had assumed, the waves rolled and attempted to drag him under and it took everything within him to stay afloat. He fought through the sharp iciness of the sea to begin his swim towards the entrance of the cave. 

As they neared the rocks, Regulus realised why Kreacher couldn't apparate any closer. Not only was there nowhere for them to land - apart from a few very jagged boulders - but the closer they got the more Regulus could feel the magic in the air.

The Dark Lord's magic was potent, Regulus could feel the thick, ink like texture of the wards running down his back as they approached the cave. When he'd first felt it, the heady oily texture had made his stomach churn. His whole body felt sluggish, as if he had rolled in tar, and the tiredness was already setting in from the rough swim towards the cave entrance. He took a glance at the hollowed out entrance. The walls of the rocks were slimy and narrowed to a small tunnel, only a few feet apart in width and he grimaced. 

If he had been a few hours earlier or later, he likely would have been unable to enter due to high tide. As it was, the tide was further out and he knew he had to seize this opportunity. There was no going back now.

He continued on through the tunnel-like passage and emerged in a small ante-chamber of sorts. Grasping what he could of the beaten down rock platform, he heaved himself up. Water cascaded off of him and his shoes squelched on the damp rock. He turned quickly and helped Kreacher join him on the stone and smiled down at him.

"Not so bad, huh?"

Kreacher looked at him reproachfully and Regulus snickered. He wondered if he was losing his sanity in his final moments. Judging by the weariness in his friend's gaze, he presumed so.

"Where's the entrance, Kreacher?" He asked, turning in a short circle and following Kreacher's pointed finger with his eyes. He pulled a small dagger he'd swiped from home with the Black family crest on the hilt. He may not always agree with his family's views, but he had a lot of pride in the longevity of their House. The fact that he could trace his ancestry so far back had always thrilled him.

Originally, he had planned to be dramatic and cut through the Dark Mark, but he wasn't sure of the repercussions of such a blatant act of treachery. It may immediately summon Voldemort to him or at the very least, could alert him that _someone_ was being disloyal.

So, as much as he wanted to, he didn't want to risk this whole thing being foiled because of his dramatics.

A sharp hiss escaped him as he pressed the knife into his forearm. A violent spurt of blood decorated the damp rocks, the crimson red formed a trail - much too straight to be natural. He watched as more blood flowed down the rocks in that perfect line, it seemed to pool below the stone before a soft groan came from the rocks as they glowed to reveal an archway.

Kreacher hurriedly patched up his arm and Regulus refrained from mentioning the futility of this act. Not with what was to follow. He did not wish to distress his friend any further.

The two silently made their way through the archway, carefully avoiding touching the water as they emerged on the other side. Regulus looked down at Kreacher who carefully made his way left after giving him that same sad glance, sure but hesitant steps taking him to the edge of the water where he made a fist in the air. "The Dark Lord did like this, Master. Kreacher can brings the boat." Regulus only nodded, gesturing for his friend to continue. He had full faith in Kreacher.

Regulus watched quietly as Kreacher did just as he said he would. The chain appeared first, link by link seeming to glide easily out of the water. The dark wooden boat appeared and Kreacher dropped the chain, sparing Regulus a glance before climbing inside. Regulus followed and gripped Kreacher's hand as they sat side by side.

As the boat carefully glided them across the water, Regulus took a look at his surroundings. The water was an inky black, almost like stained glass with the way it seemed to shine. There was no movement or ripples in the lake even though he knew there should be - they were moving across the lake so of course there should be _some_ movement.

However, the solid glass like texture stayed. Every so often he would see a flash of white under the lake and had to fight down the urge to whimper.

He wondered if he would become an inferius or if they would tear apart his body before such a thing could happen.

Within a few short minutes he'd have an answer.

The urge to cry was getting steadily weaker as he mentally scolded himself. He was doing this for a reason, he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him.

The cavern was much larger than he had expected. So much so, that he could not make out the edges of the place, only that it was vast and bitterly cold, every sound echoed and the parts of the walls he could see dissolved into black shadows. An eerie green glow was lurking over the water and seemed to thicken around the tiny islet in the centre of the lake.

The islet which they were heading towards.

He could also see the podium Kreacher had described. It had a curved basin on the top and he gripped tightly onto Kreacher as they carefully climbed out of the boat. The boat rocked slightly and he saw another flash of white from the water, as if one of the undead had swiped curiously at the bottom of the vessel. He shivered slightly as he approached the podium, holding onto Kreacher for comfort. He couldn't think about what lay ahead, only his end goal.

Bringing that bastard down.

The basin was a smooth white stone, it looked slightly like a Pensieve except that it was filled with a sickly green potion, the one Kreacher had described. Regulus had witnessed the Killing Curse being cast more times than he was comfortable with, and couldn't help but liken the shades of the spell to this mysterious potion. 

Both induced a certain level of hopelessness and terror and he strengthened his resolved as he carefully examined the potion. He had originally planned to try and identify the poison, to give himself an edge and increase his likelihood of survival. But he didn't bother, there was no point. He wanted to die doing something great and this was his chance. The weary boy attempted to pierce the surface with the tip of his dagger and was disappointed but altogether not surprised when he met a solid barrier. He had assumed this to be the case.

The Dark Lord was intelligent - he wouldn't allow for the possibility of cheating the protections he had put in place.

It had to be consumed.

"Kreacher, you have the goblet still?" He had prepared for _this_ at least, he knew the Dark Lord had simply conjured a goblet but he daren't risk alerting anyone with his _own_ magic. He had brought a collapsible goblet - a cheap little thing from a novelty shop in Diagon Alley, one usually frequented by muggleborns to gift their muggle family and friends. His mother hadn't noticed his quick trip and he had been glad for it when he planned through this escapade in his mind.

"Kreacher does." The elf warbled and Regulus grasped the goblet firmly in his hand after the elf reluctantly handed it over. 

He turned to Kreacher and met his eyes, "I'm terribly sorry, old friend. But I have to do this. It must be done."

"Someone else-"

"It must be _me,_ Kreacher. I do not want to burden someone else with such a task."

The elf's eyes filled with angry tears, "The blood traitor-"

"Sirius included. He's still my brother Kreacher, he will always be my brother, even if I may not be his." At least, they were brothers for the next few minutes. After that, Sirius would only have James Potter as his brother.

Bitterly, he swallows down the thought that _not much will change for him then_.

"You remember my instructions? You are to force me to drink if I can not continue, you will then take the locket and replace it with this one-" He raised the locket in his left hand and passed it to Kreacher, "You will tell no one of this and you will leave as soon as you have the Horcrux. Only inform Albus Dumbledore if you are unable to destroy the locket. Have I made myself clear, Kreacher?"

The elf looked at him oddly for a moment before nodding, "Kreacher understands Master Regulus. Lady Black?"

"Mother must _never_ find out what happened Kreacher, you are to tell her you haven't heard from me if she asks of my whereabouts. You will never tell _anyone_ within the family about this night, nor the events of the past week since the Dark Lord brought you here."

"Mistress will be heartbroken." He said reprovingly.

Regulus winced, he wasn't sure _how_ his mother would take his death. She had always been cold and uncaring, but he was still her son. He suspected part of the reason Sirius' betrayal had stung her so badly was because a part of her, no matter how small, loved her son. He doubted she would know how to show her love for them if she did have any, so perhaps in her own way she did love them.

He couldn't think on that though, he shook his head at Kreacher and gestured towards the goblet. "Perhaps. But this must be done Kreacher. You must not listen to anything else I say, if I beg you to stop you will _ignore_ it. You will continue to force the potion down my throat until it is all gone. You know what to do from there."

Kreacher looked terrified. It broke Regulus' heart to force his friend to do this. Not only to let Regulus die right in front of him, but to actively _take part_ and then _abandoning_ him to a painful death.

"Kreacher will do Master's bidding."

Regulus nodded once before filling the goblet. The green potion glowed in the chalice, the cup suddenly felt much colder and he screwed his eyes shut as he forced himself to drink it. He kept his eyes closed as he quickly refilled the goblet and downed the contents. No time for thought, he had to drink as much as he could to spare Kreacher of his duties.

Upon the fourth mouthful however, he felt his muscles spasm. His body jerked slightly and he could distantly hear Kreacher mumbling frantically. He forced himself to swallow the liquid in his mouth and immediately lurched forward. 

He gripped the basin tightly in both fists, the goblet having been dropped when his body heaved. Wheezes escaped him and he was confused at the screaming he could suddenly hear, where was it coming from?

"Master! Master must d-drink!" The goblet was pressed to his lips, "Master must!"

Oh, the screaming was _him._ Regulus tried to stop himself from wailing and felt more liquid burn down the back of his throat. Why was he doing this again? Why was someone doing this to him? He was begging for mercy, he could distantly hear himself pleading - was he being punished? Had Mother returned? 

Had _Sirius?_

Sirius.. the thought of his brother brought back a rush of memories. Suddenly, his vision was clouded with a reel of his brothers smiling face, of them laughing and playing. His heart pounded, yes, yes, back when things were simple, when there was no Gryffindor, no James Potter. Just two brothers in an awful household, clinging to each other and making up tales of the future. Of what would be, what _could_ be, when they finally escaped.

He watched Sirius turn to him, a bright, affectionate smile on his face and he felt himself returning it. The grin on his brother's face slowly dropped before it turned into a disgusted snarl. _"Filthy snake, you aren't my brother. You ruined our relationship when you chose them over me."_ No, no it wasn't true. He hadn't meant to. Surely, Sirius could see that. He had simply been too scared to ask for anything but Slytherin. _"Coward. Weak. Pathetic. James is a much better brother than you could ever be."_

Regulus gasped for breath. No! _He_ was Sirius' brother! He loved Sirius so much, couldn't he see that? He hadn't been great, he knew, but surely Sirius could forgive him. Surely Sirius, kind and understanding as he was, would see how desperately Regulus loved him. Sirius was the best of all of them, strong, courageous, fighting for what was right, Regulus had always admired him, he couldn't cope with the thought of Sirius hating him. He'd tried to do right by him, Sirius _must_ know that!

_"I really do hate you, you know? You sicken me. The very sight of you repulses me. You're just like Mother. Mummy and Daddy's perfect little killer, huh? Bet you're so proud of yourself, carrying that vermin's Mark on your arm. Showing off the fact that you're nothing more than a servant to a psychopath."_

Regulus shook his head, "No! Please! Don't leave me! I love you so much, brother."

" _Disgusting. Utterly revolting. You love me? How precious, as if I could ever love you back. Nobody could ever love you - not the real you. The weak, pathetic little parasite that clings to those stronger than him because he's too much of a coward to stand up for what he believes in. Too meek to have even a single unique thought._ " The contempt in Sirius' voice made him sob violently. Why was his brother being so cruel?

"Please, I love you. Don't let me die, Siri, please." Something pressed against his lips and he choked down whatever it was. Perhaps _Sirius_ wanted him to drink this odd liquid, maybe if he followed his orders they could go back to how they used to be.

" _Do it Regulus, let go. You're just a disappointment. At least if you're dead you won't be around to fail me. You won't fail our mother either, she'll remember you as her good son. Don't you see Regulus? Everyone is better off with you gone."_

Regulus sobbed brokenly. _Why_ was his brother being so _cruel?_ His whole body burned, he felt like he was reliving Mother's displeasure when she'd found out he'd been partnered with a muggleborn in Potions and had complimented her skills. That Yule had been awful, Sirius had stayed at Hogwarts - or perhaps gone to Potter's - so he had faced the brunt of her anger.

The maddening pain of the Cruciatus burned through his body and he flinched when something was pressed against his mouth followed by a more intense agony.

"Let me die, just let me die!" He wailed, hands scratching the rocks he was laying on. He'd tried clawing at his face but something had immediately pulled his hands away, so he settled for grasping at whatever was around him. At some point, he'd curled into a ball on the wet stone of the island, the pressure on his lips was still coming but slower than before - that was good, why was that good? _The potion was lower down so Kreacher had to take his time to reach in further the more the drained the basin._ Oh yes, that was why that was good.

But why were they doing this again?

He could barely think, all he could concentrate on was Sirius.

Tall, broad-shouldered, strong and dashingly handsome, sparkling stormy grey eyes and a cheeky but charming grin, one that was replaced by a curled upper lip. It was a look he'd seen directed at those his brother most detested. Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix, Mother.. and now _Regulus._

"Please, Siri. Please save me. Help me."

_"You want my help, Regulus? Want my help little brother?"_

"Yes! Yes! Please!" He was his brother again, Sirius himself had called him his brother again! Sirius would help him now, he loved him again, Sirius wouldn't let him down. Not when he had the chance to save him.

_"Then drink. You're so thirsty, aren't you Regulus?"_

He looked around wildly, his body was seized with cramps and hacking sobs but he had to do this. Sirius would be his brother again for real if he did this. Thirsty? Yes, yes he was. He was so thirsty, why was he thirsty?

His mouth was dry and he smacked his hands across the stone, pulling himself to the edge of the water. He needed it. He _needed_ to drink. In the background, he heard a plea for him to stop but he didn't listen. Sirius had ordered him to drink and he clearly knew what was best for him, Regulus was _so very thirsty_. He craved water - water that was _right there_.

Plunging his hands into the beautiful liquid before him, he scooped as much of the water into his mouth as he could. He looked around for Sirius, he had done well, right?

 _"Good Regulus. Now,"_ He smiled sharply, _"You need to die."_

Regulus swallowed the mouthful and the fog clouding his mind immediately began to clear. That couldn't be right, Sirius wouldn't ask that of him. Sirius disappeared and he remembered where he was. This split second of awareness was useless as the moment he blinked a white, marble-like hand shot out of the lake and wrapped around his wrist. Within seconds, he was surrounded. Inferi leaped out of the lake and all made mad grabs for him, pulling him under the water and he pressed his lips tightly shut, looking around at the blurry undead that were surrounding him.

He couldn't believe he had seen Sirius, as soon as he had consumed a mere mouthful of the dirty lake water his mind had cleared somewhat. 

Kreacher had seen Regulus and Walburga Black, Regulus had seen Sirius.

He wondered what the correlation was.

He couldn't think on it, he was slowly succumbing to the night's events. His body was sore and the inferi seemed to be avoiding tearing into him too much, passing swipes were made but they seemed much more intent on keeping him below the surface of the water. Likely so he'd join them in guarding the place upon his death, maybe so that he'd be in as much pain as possible. They tore into his arms, legs and torso, one even clawed at his throat and the side of his face. 

The pain was overwhelming, his lungs burned as he choked on a mouthful of water.

As his body began to lose consciousness, he spared a final thought for Kreacher and his brother who would hopefully remain ignorant of the truth to his death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry! Regulus is still alive - watch out for the next chapter!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed! I really like writing this - Regulus is so interesting to me and I adore his dynamic with Sirius. So interesting to explore. I also really do appreciate your comments, I'm glad people seem to be enjoying where this story is going! <3


	5. The Elf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus recovers from his near-death experience, at least physically, and thinks a lot.

Soft murmuring brought Regulus back to awareness. A cloth was carefully blotted on his forehead and his body was laid out on something soft. His whole body felt stiff and cramped, he felt the rough scratching of bandages running down both arms and both legs as he shifted slightly. He could even feel a bandage on his neck and the weight of a small one on his cheek. 

He tried to remember what happened.

_Sirius._

No, that couldn't be right. He hadn't spoken to Sirius in.. far too long. But he certainly remembered _something_ do with his brother had occurred, had he seen him?

A few moments later his eyes snapped open.

The cave, the locket, the Horcrux.

The _inferi.._ so he was dead?

Glancing around he noticed he was in his bedroom. From what he could see through the gap in his curtains, the sky was still dark but in the way that indicated it was likely very early morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten. But that didn't make sense, how could he be in his bedroom? Roughly pulling himself up he let out a strangled gasp and clutched his abdomen when he felt a stabbing pain roll through him. A thick white bandage was on his torso running from left to right and he saw a staining on the centre, blood. 

"Master Regulus! Master must lay-"

Kreacher's tiny hands flailed slightly has he gently but firmly pushed Regulus back onto the bed. "K-Kreacher?"

"Yes, Master! Kreacher is here!"

"H-How?" Regulus coughed, "How am I-" He trailed off. He was certain he would die, he had not expected this. He had been positive his death was assured.

Hell, he had left a signed Go-Fuck-Yourself, he had been so certain.

Kreacher looked abashed but clearly extremely pleased with himself, "Master ordered Kreacher to go, to bring the locket and leave him."

Regulus blinked, "Yes, I did. So how am I.. here?"

The abashed look went away and Kreacher's nose tilted upwards as he looked at Regulus fiercely, "He did not say Kreacher could not come back."

A loophole.

A _fucking_ loophole.

Of course Kreacher would find the _one_ oversight in his orders. "You.." He mumbled numbly. Kreacher had saved his life, _of course he had_ , he would never have let Regulus die if he could do something about it.

Kreacher nodded happily before looking slightly reproving, "Master Regulus be calling for ungrateful blood traitor."

He blanched, "You didn't get him, did you?"

"No, Master. Master says Kreacher must not listen to him after drinking nasty poison."

That was true, he had made sure Kreacher knew his ramblings could not be taken seriously. He doubted he would have brought Sirius even if he hadn't made such an order, but the thought of Sirius being anywhere near that cave made him want to vomit.

"What's this?" He pointed at the bandages and his heart dropped when Kreacher winced, "How bad is it?"

"The beasts! Oh! My poor Master!" Kreacher howled, "Good, great Master Regulus does not deserve such injuries!"

"How bad, Kreacher?"

Kreacher moaned pitifully, "Will leave scars. Kreacher did what he could, the undead were trying to tear Kreacher's Master apart! Kreacher took Master Regulus and healed him though, yes he did. Master will live! Kreacher makes sure of it!"

Regulus couldn't bring himself to be upset, a fond smile overtook him as he watched his elf putter about proudly. Kreacher truly was a brilliant friend. He had expected to die but.. this wasn't exactly an _unwelcome_ turn of events. In fact, he was inordinately pleased. Perhaps this was a second chance of sorts. Maybe he could prove himself to his brother, could prove he was worth loving.

_Nobody could ever love you - not the real you._

Regulus shivered as he remembered his brother's words. Well, they weren't from the _real_ Sirius, but it hurt nonetheless.

_Everyone is better off with you gone._

That wasn't true, Kreacher looked beyond ecstatic - that was enough. Regulus coughed and Kreacher immediately pressed a goblet of water into his hand, "Master must drink. Water help get rid of nasty potion." He assured, pushing the cup closer to his mouth and Regulus automatically complied. As his mind caught up with him, the familiar motion of Kreacher forcing him to drink made him flinch and he sloshed the water all over the floor in his haste to move away.

It was all too much. He would be forced to drink, to drink and drink and _drink and then Sirius would be back and he'd spit on him for being so pathetic and useless-_

"No, no-"

"Master Regulus!"

When he awoke a second time, the sunlight was streaming through the slightly opened window. The curtains fluttered gently in the breeze and he felt much better. His mind was clearer and his body less stiff. He pulled himself into a sitting position, inwardly heaving a sigh of relief when his body complied easily enough, leaning against his headboard as he examined his body. 

Most of the bandages were gone, only the large one across his lower ribs and the one on his throat remained. He hoped the latter injury wouldn't scar too noticeably, else it would be hard to cover up let alone explain.

He looked at the scratches along his arms and legs, some were thin and a flat silvery colour whilst other were more jagged and clearly went much deeper, resulting in raised, thick, pink scars, some of which overlapped grotesquely. He mourned the loss of his perfect skin before banishing the thought.

He certainly wasn't as vain as many other people he knew, his mother, Sirius and Lucius Malfoy were perfect examples of vanity in his opinion. But Regulus still _cared_ about his appearance. He was a Black, after all, vanity was in their blood. The scars were off-putting and he wasn't quite sure what he'd say when someone inevitably saw them.

Perhaps he'd just use glamour charms.

It's not like he didn't know how to cast them, the amount of balls and parties he had had to hastily apply them for were too innumerable to count. Mother usually aimed her fury in easily concealable places, but sometimes the odd swollen cheek or bruised jaw needed to be discreetly taken care of. 

He silently thanked Kreacher's magic, house-elves truly were far too brilliant for wizard's to consistently mistreat them.

After all, clearly when a house-elf and a wizard work together, magnificent things can be done.

Such as stealing a Dark Lord's soul piece.

It took a few hours for Regulus to be able to move from his bed, and it took even longer for him to be as physically active as he usually was.

Luckily, Mother had elected to stay in France until the end of the week and Father too had extended his 'business' trip. He had used this time to try and get himself into the best physical health he could possibly hope to be in given the gravity of his injuries. By the day his mother returned, he was able to move around easily enough and none of his cuts had reopened for two days.

Kreacher had checked him thoroughly and assured that with a few months of scar removal salve, _most_ of the scars would fade, the larger ones however were permanent. Fortunately, the larger ones were easily hidden and the one on his throat he'd been able to explain was due to a nasty run in with a cursed item in the attic.

His mother had been livid at his carelessness, had refused him dinner and sent him up to his room with a bruised cheek but generally seemed to ignore the suspicious circumstances surrounding his injury.

For once, he truly was thankful for her lack of motherly affection.

The day he returned to Hogwarts, Regulus was tired.

He had undergone a massively traumatic event, nightmares plagued him and he struggled to go near any large body of water - a shame since he'd always enjoyed long, relaxing baths. But the first time he had entered his en-suite and seen the ornate tub filled with water, something Kreacher had done to try and soothe his aching muscles, he had screamed and had a burst of accidental magic that vanished the tub and it's contents.

It was only Kreacher's quick thinking to replace his bathtub with Sirius' unused one that stopped his mother from noticing. 

Even showering was difficult and he usually needed the help of a calming draught afterwards to stop his heart from exploding out of his chest.

He shivered at the thought of going back to Hogwarts, he used to love sitting out by the Black Lake but now...

And the nightmares were not only constrained to his dreams. Occasionally, something would trigger memories of that awful, damp cavern and he would be left trembling and gasping for breath. Kreacher had set up a monitoring charm on him it had been so frequent at first, like he were a bloody child.

He didn't know what he was going to do when he got to Hogwarts.

He also hadn't made any further progress with the locket.

In his defence, the thing was _impossible_ to destroy. Neither Kreacher's nor his own magic made _any_ kind of mark upon the surface.

He knew the _theory_ of a Horcrux - the object was merely a container for the soul. This meant, if one could destroy said container, the soul too would be destroyed.

However, that was fairly useless information when nothing would make even the slightest dent in the gold surface.

And Regulus had tried _everything._ Kreacher had used all the magic he knew, together they had scoured books to find darker spells or potions that may work but - nothing. He had even gone as far as to try and use physical methods - stabbing, cutting, hammering, crushing, even throwing the thing in the fireplace... yet none of it worked. 

His mother seemed to notice his increased agitation and had asked if he had a difficult Transfiguration problem he was working on, a snide way of telling him to behave himself or she'd see to it that he really _did_ have something to be upset about.

It was an _extra_ slight against him as Transfiguration had always been his weakest subject - something she herself and Sirius both excelled in.

Regulus was partially excited to be back at Hogwarts, however. He loved learning and he loved his classes.

He also loved being far from Mother and the Dark Lord's expectations.

Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Potions were his favourites, closely followed by Charms. He was good at Defence and Herbology, certainly above average, but he struggled in Transfiguration. Mother had always been displeased that the more theoretical (thus, in her opinion, largely useless) subjects were his best. 

He and Sirius were opposites like that, Sirius had never had the patience for any of the heavily theoretical subjects and found Potions too boring and tedious to bother with. He was pretty sure the only reason Sirius had continued Potions into N.E.W.T level was because Severus Snape was in that class and it gave him and Potter the perfect opportunities to mess with him.

Regulus had banished these thoughts, thinking of _Potter_ was certainly where he drew the line.

Logically, he knew the boy wasn't at fault. He had only been a good friend by offering Sirius sanctuary, but he couldn't help but hate him.

_Jealousy was such an ugly emotion._

He sat in his compartment on the Hogwarts express and stared up at his trunk. He'd placed it on the rack opposite his seat and he tilted his head up to stare at where he knew the Horcrux was hidden.

The best Kreacher had been able to do was find a bag in their basement designed to conceal high levels of Dark Magic, a staple of any Dark household to have spares of. It had required Regulus to carefully stitch an enhancement Rune into the fabric to _properly_ do the job, but it worked. It obscured the toxic tendrils from escaping and infecting those nearby - something he and Kreacher had learned was a necessity within only two days of having the vile thing in the bedroom.

It had made him angry enough he had almost ordered Kreacher to iron his ears and Kreacher had been ready to reveal all of Regulus' secrets to his mother.

After Regulus had realised what was happening and had ordered Kreacher to place the locket in the furthest corner of the house, things had almost immediately returned to normal.

The two had spent hours crying and holding each other - it was honestly embarrassing to think back on.

Regulus had a vague outline of a plan on how he would continue.

He knew he had to keep up appearances, the fact that he was firmly against Lord Voldemort meant nothing. He was still a Slytherin and still a Black, he had duties, expectations. He also knew he couldn't inform anyone else of this no matter how much he wished he could just dump this burden on someone else. This was _his_ problem. His plan was basically to keep his head down (easily done, he'd been doing that for years) and try to survive until Yule. Over Yule he would go to Black Manor and hunt down 'Secrets of the Darkest Art'. 

Kreacher had been able to enter the library at Black Manor and noted the titles of any Dark Arts books they had. Regulus had compared the list with the one he had compiled of those within Grimmauld's library and using this, he had written a much shorter list of books that only resided within Black Manor.

Secrets of the Darkest Art was from the medieval era and he _knew_ it would offer some insight into Horcruxes. It was practically legend within Dark pureblood circles, only two copies remained in existence, one that had been in Hogwarts, and one in the possession of the Black's. He had never read it himself, but he remembers Cousin Bella bemoaning the fact that Grandfather Arcturus refused to allow her access to the tome. 

Which in hindsight was a very good thing as Bella would likely have used it for something important to the Dark Lord's cause.

He wondered if perhaps Voldemort wished for the book so nobody would know anything about Horcruxes, the idea had merit. Just like Magick Moste Evil, there were very few copies in circulation. 

The only problem with this plan was, because of the nature and the rarity of this book, it was _heavily_ guarded.

He wasn't sure he would be able to even glance beyond the front cover, Grandfather was very protective and fond of his books, something he had apparently inherited from the man. 

Regulus sighed again. He had no idea what he was doing. He was in over his head, this he knew, but he had no other options.

He had to do this and he had to do it alone.

Anyone else would simply be a liability, he doubted he could even trust anyone bar Sirius and Kreacher enough with such an important task anyway.

Regulus thumbed through the journal disguised as a Runes book in his hand. Nobody would question him carefully examining a book on the subject everyone knew he adored, nobody would suspect it was actually a journal full of half-baked ideas on how to take down a Dark Lord.

He scrunched his eyebrows, he was exhausted already. Closing the book, he tucked it into his trunk before sitting back on the bench. Nobody ever bothered him anymore, for the first year of Hogwarts he'd had many purebloods following after him as if he was their leader. Apparently they'd expected him to be, likely due to his family's history of always being top of the Slytherin hierarchy. He hadn't even bothered to speak to them, had merely continued his essays or whatever book he was reading in silence. The Black family was still the oldest pureblood House in Britain - he didn't even need to try to be top of the food chain.

Either way, they'd gotten the message after a few months and now only _occasionally_ spoke to him, something he was thankful for.

He hated the mindless chatter, he'd always been of the opinion that small talk was largely pointless and if you didn't have anything useful to say you should be quiet. That irritating little voice that reminded him he'd always been eager for any word shared between he and his brother was back and he deliberately ignored it.

Small talk irked him, and he often found himself gazing wistfully at the quiet of the Ravenclaw table. Conversations were only had when necessary and most seemed so very content with themselves. Slytherin's were definitely more subdued than Hufflepuff's or Gryffindor's, but there was a level of manipulative double-speak that filled every interaction. Not that he was surprised, and he knew exactly how to play that game of chess, it just always left him wanting and he wished he had been brave enough to agree with the hat, everything would be so much simpler.

If he had been in his true House, he'd likely never have lost Sirius.

But.. but would he have still learned of the Horcrux? Had he been a Ravenclaw, would he have felt secure enough in himself to say no to his mother? If so, he would never have learned this vital piece of information, the Dark Lord would continue to be immortal and his soul piece would be well protected in that cave by the sea.

Regulus shook his head, these thoughts were pointless. He was a Slytherin and there was no use dwelling on what-if's. He decided to lay back and try to get some rest and allowed the gentle rocking of the train to lull him to sleep.

Outside of the compartment, a boy with similar grey eyes watched from beneath an invisibility cloak. When the boy inside had stood up to put away his book, the thick, jagged pink scar had gleamed in the light streaming in through the window. The boy under the cloak frowned as the other boy ran a hand through his hair and went about pulling down the blinds at the window and at the glass pane in the doorway.

Once the boy inside was hidden from view, Sirius Black pulled off the cloak with a frown. 

_What the hell had happened to Regulus?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I love reading comments - let me know how you feel about this!
> 
> We finally see Sirius for a bit! Don't worry - there's a lot more Sirius to come and he and Regulus will certainly interact soon.


	6. The Pseudonym

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus connects some unfortunate dots and Sirius worries endlessly for his baby brother.

It was the end of October.

Regulus had been back at school for two months, something he hadn't realised until he was sat at the Halloween Feast and had inwardly wondered at all the pumpkins and decorations. When he'd quietly asked the person next to him, they'd looked puzzled before informing him that it was the 31st of October. Hm.

He had been so trapped in his own thoughts that the past two months had been a blur. He vaguely remembered attending classes, Quidditch practices and Prefect rounds because - of course he was once again a Prefect. Slughorn had also winked at him during one of his little 'talks' that mentioned Head Boy candidates for next year and he had barely restrained from throttling the man.

He was honoured and all that, but being a Prefect and then Head Boy seemed so _inconsequential_ now. He had a mission, something so very important that he had to do. Yet here he was, Prefect badge pinned to his chest, eating mechanically while Avery talked his ear off about the first game of Quidditch season approaching.

Regulus made sure to hum every so often and nod where appropriate, he had even remembered to laugh when Travers had made a joke about Gryffindor losing their star Keeper, a half-blood, to the Dark Lord's most recent raid.

Voldemort.

He had to start using the name.

It was just a pseudonym anyway, something he'd likely thought up on a whim and thought he was terribly clever for. He knew the literal translation from French meant something like, 'flight from death' or perhaps, 'steal death'. Ironic, considering his status as immortal. It had taken a lot out of him to stop from rolling his eyes when he realised this.

Were all Dark Lord's so dramatic? So arrogant? Probably. _Comes with the territory_ , Regulus said to himself.

He finished chewing a piece of beef before he froze.

Arrogant. Dramatic.

He tilted his head.

Mentally, he pictured the word Voldemort.

Could it be?

Regulus had continued to puzzle over Voldemort's true identity for weeks, months even. Ever since he'd first come to the conclusion that Voldemort was most certainly not a pureblood, he had wondered what his _true_ name was.

Merope was likely in a very bad place mentally, but even she wouldn't have named her son _Voldemort._ Plus, it would be too obvious. He would be easy to trace in the Hogwarts records. The archives were publicly accessible, everyone was noted in them for something, especially those who had achieved great things whilst in the school. Regulus himself was in them multiple times.

Madam Irma Pince had given him a suspicious look when he'd asked for access to the school archives and if it wasn't for the fact that he knew she gave that look to everyone, even someone as responsible as Lily Evans, he would have fret over her possibly telling someone of his request. He had simply smiled at her when she'd reluctantly allowed him access and scoured the archives, noting down anyone of interest.

See, once Regulus had realised that Voldemort simply _must_ have attended Hogwarts, likely sometime in the past 50 years, he had carefully checked through all those of note. He had focused specifically on Slytherin's and Ravenclaw's as he highly doubted the Dark Lord was from either of the other two houses, but he had jotted down anyone intelligent or remarkable enough. Head Boy's and Girl's, those who won special awards and of course those who achieved impressively high OWL and NEWT scores.

He knew that Voldemort was extremely charismatic, not only this, but he was very well spoken and highly intelligent. Not exactly a _rarity_ within Hogwarts, the same could be said for many - including his own brother. Possibly including _him_. But Regulus _had_ noted someone very interesting, someone who had certainly piqued his interest.

In his research, he had found Head Boy from 1944 to 1945, a student name Tom Riddle. A, by all acounts, charming Slytherin orphan boy who had been well-liked and celebrated for his keen affinity for magic and intelligent mind.

Tom Riddle, a brilliant young boy that had seemingly _vanished_ upon his graduation.

It was this little factor that truly caught his eye. He had been baffled that someone with such an obvious affinity for magic, someone who would clearly go on to do great things could simply vanish. He had discreetly tried to follow Riddle's trail but it had gone cold very quickly, other than an offhand mention of him working at Borgin & Burke's of all places, Riddle truly had disappeared.

Regulus frantically tried to remain calm but he couldn't.

It was _right_ there. He could practically see all the pieces in his head - much like when he had first found out the true nature of the locket.

The name Tom Riddle floated through his mind.

A middle name - what could his middle name be?

The plaque Regulus had seen in the trophy room called him 'T. M. Riddle'. M. Merope? Certainly not, Morfin then? No, perhaps Marvolo. Both could work but it was wizarding tradition to name the first born son after their father or grandfather. Since 'Tom' was more than likely the name of the unknown sire, that left Marvolo as the highest possibility.

There was a buzzing in his ears, his body completely seized up as he pictured the letters floating around and rearranging themselves. It made sense.

Tom Marvolo Riddle...

_Why do these horrifying revelations always happen to me?_

Was the last thought that ran through his mind before everything went blurry and he slumped over.

Ever since that day on the train, Sirius had been very concerned about Regulus.

Well, he'd always been concerned over his brother's wellbeing. He may not always show it, but he does care about him.

Desperately so.

However, he had never seen his brother look so unhealthy in his life.

Regulus had always been a tiny slip of a boy, a stark comparison to Sirius himself. He distinctly remembers Uncle Cygnus making a nasty comment about Walburga having born one son and one daughter. Upon seeing the tears in his brother's eyes at the cruel comment, Sirius' magic had unleashed and Uncle Cygnus had been hexed bald head to toe.

Mother had been strangely pleased, clearly more to do with the fact that her Heir had such powerful accidental magic than the fact that he had only done so in defence of his beloved brother.

It had broken his heart to lose Regulus to the snake's. He had known Regulus was perfect for Ravenclaw, especially upon actually going to Hogwarts and seeing the eagle's in the library or at dinner, he had dreamed about little Regulus finally finding a home wrapped in blue and bronze, a place where he belonged just as Sirius had.

Instead, Regulus had clearly argued with the hat into placing him in Slytherin.

Not that he couldn't survive there, Sirius knew if _he_ had been sorted into Slytherin he would have been able to do the same - the hat had said so. 

Gryffindor he may be, but he was raised a Slytherin and he knows how to perfectly replicate their ways. Regulus was the same, but where Sirius would never have changed himself to please others, Regulus was far too timid. Always had been honestly, at times it had annoyed him but now it just made him sad. 

He had been paying close attention to Regulus - something he'd planned to do anyway since he made the decision to run to James' house over the summer. But upon noticing the awful scar on his brother's delicate throat, he had fought down the instinct to storm the compartment and demand answers.

Ever since that day, he had taken to borrowing the map and the cloak to... not quite _stalk_ Regulus, but keep an eye on him.

And it left him slightly confused.

He seemed to be spending an awful lot of time in the library - always alone. Not that that was surprising, he'd noticed Regulus often avoiding the company of others.

He usually had a stack of books or papers on his table and was always thumbing through that book on Ancient Runes. It had taken Sirius a few weeks of watching to realise the book was most definitely enchanted to hide it's true contents. With the way Regulus closely guarded the thing, he suspected it was a diary of some kind.

At least he hoped it was.

When he had mentioned why someone might hide a book's true cover to his friends, James had been adamant that the only possibilities were for nefarious purposes.

_"I'm telling you Padfoot, I've seen Snivellus with that stupid Potions book for years - I bet its full of foul things!"_

Not that he disagreed, but Regulus had never been the sort to be interested in Dark Magic. At least not beyond the academic possibilities of studying it - _bloody hell his brother was a swot_. He was much too soft for that. He distinctly remembers pretending the barely-alive injured bird in Regulus' sock drawers had been his idea of a prank when his mother had found it. She had killed the poor animal, luckily quickly, and punished Sirius for his transgression.

It had hurt, and every time he saw the small scar on his knee he thought back to that memory. But it had been worth it to save his brother, for it had truly been Regulus who had brought the animal inside in an attempt to nurse the bird back to health.

He remembers it distinctly, the way he had held the boy as he cried, both from the bird's death and from causing Sirius to be punished. He also would never forget what he told him afterwards.

_"Don't you dare apologise Reg. You're my little brother, okay? I'm supposed to protect you, silly. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't, huh?"_

Regulus had looked up at him with such innocent, worshipful eyes and hugged him so tightly, Sirius had vowed to always take punishments if it meant Regulus was safe.

He swallowed down the bitterness that blossomed within him as he thought back to how Regulus must have felt when he realised what Sirius had done, when he had _abandoned_ him.

So far this year, Regulus had barely looked at him. In fact, he hadn't spared him a single glance since the very first day. They had made eye contact for a number of seconds before Regulus turned back to the Sorting and hadn't deigned to look at him since.

Although their relationship had been strained since Regulus' first year, they had always kept cordial.

Neither went out of their way to antagonise the others and Sirius always made sure Regulus was left out of any pranks directed at the Slytherins - something the Marauders didn't seem to understand. They, specifically James, seemed to believe that Regulus was a lost cause and would be the first to join Voldemort upon his graduation. _Along with Snivelly_ , James liked to add.

But he refused to budge. He had made it very clear that Regulus was _never_ to be targeted and the one time this rule had been ignored had lead to an awful fight.

James had wanted to show all the older Slytherins (because even _they_ left out the little ones - they were mostly innocent anyway) that he wouldn't let the incident after their fifth year DADA OWL slide. Snape calling Lily a Mudblood had become infamous among the students and the Slytherins had begun to get cocky.

Lily Evans and Severus Snape's friendship had been well known amongst the school. Both had their own group of friends that didn't approve of the other. The Gryffindor's believed Snape was evil and would only hurt Lily, while his friends believed she was a stain on his reputation and a bad influence on him.

The public fracture of this friendship had cause the Gryffindor's to rejoice. James had wanted to immediately make the whole Slytherin house pay, but after Evans' strong words, they'd decided they'd leave them alone.

At least, until the Slytherin's (specifically only Snape's nasty, future Death Eater friends) had decided that she had made a mockery of Snape, causing him to publicly cry and make a fool of himself by waiting outside the Gryffindor common room. Snape's mates had blamed her for him making such a spectacle of himself and had retaliated.

It had lead to Evans being hexed multiple times, not that she didn't give as good as she got - she was vicious with a wand and they all knew it. Either way, James had been enraged when he saw her in the hospital wing after a run in with Snape's friends. They had all planned a prank as payback, as he said, the Slytherin's _had_ begun to get far too cocky and it was only a matter of time before they began targeting people _other_ than Evans. 

See, to make the biggest impact, they had gone after the Slytherin Quidditch team. This meant Emma Vanity, Lucinda Talkalot and Evan Rosier as the teams chasers, Wilkes and Avery, the team's beaters and Travers the Keeper were all to be targeted. Sirius hadn't felt the need to say that Regulus, the team's Seeker, would obviously not be included.

Going after the Quidditch team had the added bonus of going after _most_ of Snape's friends, only Mulciber (who had his own special form of punishment for being the main one behind the attack to put Evans in the hospital wing) wasn't on the team. 

Only, James had gone behind his back and ensured Regulus, the teams Seeker, would be just as affected as everyone else.

All those targeted had come out in painful blisters and were stuck to the Quidditch stands with a strong sticking charm, as well as having their tongue's glued to the roof's of their mouths. The idea had been to leave them there for at least an hour or two and upon reflection, Sirius had truly regretted the whole thing. The prank had been horrendously cruel and when Sirius had seen his little brother covered in painful red welts, a frightened look in his eyes and unable to even cry for help he had been so angry he had knocked two of James' teeth out and told him he would never forgive him.

He honestly still hadn't.

After weeks of stony silence where James refused to apologise - only saying sorry for lying to him (that wasn't what he was angry about) and it was only on Moony's behest that they talk it out that they'd been able to overcome the incident.

James had admitted he shouldn't have gone behind his back and ignored Sirius' wishes - whether they liked it or not, the Marauders all knew Sirius loved his baby brother. He had even commended Sirius on the power behind his punch. Sirius refrained from mentioning that if anyone but James or one of the Marauders had done such a thing to Regulus he'd likely have done much worse.

Much, _much_ worse.

Sirius still saw Regulus' terrified silver eyes in his nightmares.

That fight was still the nastiest fight they'd ever had, nothing had even come close. Not even the incident last year when Snape had almost been killed by Moony. 

(He had explained the full circumstances - a letter from his mother that Snape had stolen followed by weeks of werewolf jokes culminating in Snape threatening to expose Remus to Walburga - and Remus had kindly forgiven him for losing his temper.)

The point was, Sirius _always_ kept an eye on Regulus. He had noted that the boy didn't seem to have many friends and admittedly only part of Sirius was unhappy about that. If Regulus wasn't friends with those awful wannabe Death Eaters, then maybe there was hope.

Maybe he could save his little brother.

As it was, Sirius was confused by the change in his little brother.

Sirius doubted anyone else would have noticed much of a difference, but Sirius knew Regulus better than he knew himself. He was even more isolated than before and seemed to be living as if he were being controlled mechanically. His actions were stilted and every so often he would stiffen and hold his ribs before looking around warily. It was only due to the map and James' cloak that his brother hadn't detected him yet, he'd been avidly not-quite-stalking Regulus for weeks.

It wasn't until one day when Regulus had rather harshly bumped into a desk and then suddenly rushed off to a secluded corner and lifted his robes that Sirius realised why he seemed to be in pain.

Seemingly too concerned that one of his wounds may have reopened, Regulus hadn't bothered with any privacy wards when he'd hastily lifted his clothes to check himself over. His little brother's whole torso was covered in pink scars. His arms and legs, from what he could gather from the tiny discoloured lesions that snaked out from under the cuffs of his clothes, were the same. There was an aggressively jagged scar running across the width of his torso, as if someone had brutally torn at the skin and flesh with a sharp object.

Sirius had been incensed, and full of thick, nauseating worry.

This, paired with Regulus' withdrawn behaviour, gaunt appearance and robotic movements only served to further his anxiety.

All throughout the feast, Sirius struggled to keep his attention on his friends.

All he could focus on was Regulus.

Endless possibilities had ran through his mind, had he been attacked? Had he done this to himself?

Had _she_ done this?

He had heard the rumours - supposedly, the scar on Regulus' throat was due to a run in with a cursed item. 

Unlike those he went to school with, Sirius knew better. They had been raised in a house that thrived on the Dark. So much so that there were cursed items around every corner, cursed items that he and Regulus had been taught from a young age to be able to identify.

In addition to this, Regulus was an exceedingly intelligent boy. He would never have touched an item of unknown origins and he certainly wouldn't have attempted to put it on, as rumour suggested. Both of them had their fair share of incidents from their early childhood where they'd gotten the odd burn or sharp stab from something lurking throughout the house.

After they'd poked at a cursed coatrack that had desperately tried to strangle them, they'd learned their lesson.

Some things in Grimmauld Place would kill you and that included the occupants.

So if it wasn't what the rumours were saying, then what _did_ happen?

The other scars matched the jagged edges of the one on his throat, meaning it likely all happened on the same day. When he had reached this conclusion he had had nightmares so intense he had ended up with his head in the toilet, picturing his little brother, pale and bleeding out somewhere.

He had taken to silencing his curtains as to not disturb his friends.

"Mate?" James' voice brought him back to the conversation at hand. He glanced around and noticed the three other Marauders were all staring at him. James looked slightly worried, Remus' eyes were narrowed thoughtfully and Peter seemed confused at his quietness.

"You alright, Padfoot?" Remus asked, he gestured with the hand holding his fork, "You've barely touched your food."

James nodded, "You've been off for a while mate, everything okay?"

Sirius glanced around, thankful nobody else was watching and gave a lopsided grin to his friends before he scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and stuffed the food in his mouth, "Got a lot on my mind, gents. Nothing to worry about."

Peter seemed pleased with this and went back to his food but Remus and James only continued to stare. "Mate," James started cautiously, sharing a glance with Remus, "Is this about.. y'know.. this past summer?"

Before he could reply, Remus interjected, "Because we think it is. You've been out of sorts since we came back to Hogwarts."

"And don't think we don't know you're sneaking off!" Peter added, glancing up from his plate.

James nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! You've practically adopted the cloak as you're own and none of us have been able to even look at the map, with the way you're hogging it." He grinned at the end, trying to keep it light-hearted as James often did, but Sirius could see the worry in his eyes. 

He felt bad for keeping this from them - from his best friends. But he knew they would never understand. They'd never understood his loyalty to Regulus, a part of him suspected James might honestly be a bit jealous of this fact, he knew they wouldn't understand the guilt and the worry he was feeling. But whenever he'd tried to explain it to them, they just hadn't understood. They were all the sole child within their households, they didn't understand the kind of bond only someone with a sibling could understand.

"Boys, honestly, I've just been trying to get a couple extra hours in the library undisturbed. You know me, can't go five minutes without someone bugging me for something," He winked with a dirty grin on his face, "Since I'm now homeless, I've got to take my NEWTs seriously. Sitting under that cloak and studying plants for Herbology really isn't that interesting, but it has to be done!"

"You're not homeless!" James spluttered indignantly and Sirius felt a bit bad for saying that, he knew James wanted him to feel at home with his family but it was hard. He loved the Potter's, he truly did, Euphemia and Fleamont were the parents he wished he'd had.

But that was the problem.

They _weren't_ his parents, no matter how much he may wish they were. And it was hard to feel at home in a place without his little brother. Honestly, Grimmauld was so contrastingly dreary, that the light airiness of the Potter house sometimes overwhelmed him. It often left him feeling like he had too much space and no direction.

At least the cold, dark hallways of Grimmauld were familiar.

Plus he knew _that_ house like the back of his hand, could navigate the place with his eyes closed, but Potter Manor was unfamiliar to him - the odd visit throughout the years for a week or two at a time was not enough to properly settle him. 

"Either way mate, I just wanna get my studying done in peace. Can't do that with you buggers around, can I?" 

James seemed content with this, seeming far too preoccupied with the 'homeless' comment. He wouldn't be surprised if James did something drastic like offer to adopt Sirius into the family legally or tried to add him on the family tapestry. 

He wouldn't put it past James to do such a thing.

Remus was looking at him far too keenly for his liking and Sirius made sure to eat as much of his plate as he could to satisfy the werewolf. Moony was always far too intuitive. He wondered if it was a secret werewolf sense, to always know when someone was lying.

The conversation slowly picked up as Peter bemoaned his low test scores in McGonagall's class, prompting Remus to frown at him and James to laugh and go on about his own struggles in Ancient Runes, "That subject is bloody impossible. Can't believe I thought it'd be a good idea. I should have dropped it but Mum _insisted_ it'd be useful for warding."

"It will be," Sirius replied off-headedly, he thought of Regulus anytime he attended Runes or anyone so much as mentioned the subject. He remembered when Regulus first found the subject - he had eagerly consumed all the books in their library over the course of a few weeks. Spending the next few months excitedly chatting about _all the possibilities Siri_! "Runes are the backbone to all wards. They have endless possibilities and you can do brilliant things by just changing the orientation of one Rune - or the order in which the Runes appear in a chain."

James blinked at him, "For someone who seems to need to study as much as I do in the subject, you know an awful lot about it."

Remus made an odd face. He definitely knew of Regulus' love for the subject, Sirius had quietly admitted it was part of the reason he'd continued studying the subject for NEWTs. It made him feel close to Regulus in a way. James didn't know that, however. 

"I like Runes. They're useful. Dead difficult, but it's useful to know. Though I'll probably forget it all once I graduate, I don't know how anyone can remember all of the different Rune forms." He muttered the last bit thoughtfully.

James shrugged, "I don't get it either. Like potions, I mean, I get potions are super useful but all the different recipes and ingredients - and the preparation is ridiculous!"

"It's a delicate art," Remus chided, "You two are lucky, you both have a natural knack for it."

Sirius grinned, it was true after all. He'd always been good at Potions, Professor Slughorn always told him he was a natural. _As all Blacks are_ , he always said. He'd never much liked the comparison, and part of the reason was due to years of studying pre-Hogwarts, but the whole family seemed to have a natural affinity for the subject.

"I'm so glad I dropped Potions." Peter said, scrunching his nose. 

Remus huffed, "I wish I could. But I'm going to need all the NEWTs I can get." He added and Sirius inwardly winced. Remus would have a tough time getting any job after graduation due to his affliction.

"I only took Potions 'cause it's fairly simple." Sirius shrugged.

James scoffed, "Fairly simple he says, could you recite the recipe for the Dreamless Sleep potion?" He asked in a tone that was vaguely reminiscent of Slughorn.

Sirius grinned and threw a pea at James' face, "How's about you snog Snape?"

The bespectacled boy gagged, "Grim!"

Sirius knew what he'd meant but instead wiggled his brows, "Woof." He said, playing on his Animagus form.

The four of them dissolved into laughter that seemed to slightly shock those around them. Some looked on warily, some glanced down at their plate's questioningly as if able to see what the Marauder's may have done to the food.

A shocked exclamation came from the Slytherin table at that moment. A ripple of heads turning and muttering flowed through the hall and Sirius immediately jerked his head up so he could look over Peter who was opposite him. 

A dark haired figure was slumped over the table and Sirius frantically scanned the surrounding seats for Regulus.

_No, no, no!_

His heart pounded as he struggled to see his little brother until the person who had passed out was carefully lifted by Professor Slughorn who had instantly rushed to his student's side when the initial cry of shock had been heard. The soft white skin pulled too tautly over a delicate bone structure, thick black hair and a Prefect badge pinned to his chest. _Regulus._

Sirius let out a pained cry and rushed to stand only to be pushed back into his seat by the back of his robes by Remus. "Let me go!" He hissed.

"No!" Remus replied, gripping his wrist tightly, "Think about it Padfoot. You can not be seen with him."

"What!" Sirius practically shrieked, "He's my little brother! I don't care if people see us together!"

"Not you, idiot, for him!" Remus hissed. "What would happen if they thought he was on good terms with his blood traitor brother? Nothing good, I'd assume."

Sirius froze, thoughts of the older Slytherins, Snape's nasty little gang, Mulciber, Avery, Rosier and Wilkes to name a few, ganging up on his clearly injured little brother ran through his mind. "No.. no, nothing good." Sirius replied quietly, "But-"

"Later, Sirius." James reached over to push him back into his seat which he'd been slowly rising from, "You have the cloak anyway mate, use that and the map when everyone's cleared off. Merlin knows we're no strangers to sneaking into the hospital wing." James smiled reassuringly and Peter pushed a chocolate éclair into his hand.

Sirius felt a rush of affection for his friends. Although they may not understand it, they knew how much Regulus meant to him. Especially after that nasty fight they'd had the previous year, they knew that Sirius adored his little brother and that the chasm between them broke his heart.

Nodding, Sirius smiled at his friends and watched as Slughorn carefully maneuvered Regulus' prone form from the Great Hall. Once the door closed solidly behind them, the Great Hall broke out into murmurs and many glances were thrown his way. 

"Pranked-"

"-Marauders-"

"-brother-"

"-cursed item-"

"Death Eater-"

"Deserved-"

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the last two whispers he heard, his Animagus form had gifted him with superior senses which was great for sneaking about the castle. 

It was also helpful for eavesdropping.

He was unsurprised that people expected him to have done something to Regulus (he would never, _could never)._ Their relationship had been widely dramatised throughout the years - that unfortunate prank that Regulus had been caught up in had only made things worse. The Marauders laughter before Regulus fainted definitely would have painted a clear picture for most.

But Sirius was unconcerned by the gossip, all he cared about was making sure his little brother was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh.. don't you just love big brother Sirius? (Also, I honestly do think Regulus was smart enough to connect these dots. He worked canonically worked out the whole Horcrux thing when he was roughly 17-18 so, truly, if he gave it a couple months thought, he'd definitely be able to work this out too)
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed! I'm worried I may end up disappointing some of you... I feel like this fic is getting away from me - it's much longer than I'd originally planned but I can't help it! I just' love writing about Regulus & Sirius.


	7. The Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius worries over Regulus some more and overhears a conversation that only increases his fears.

Sirius had been furiously pacing the dorm for close to an hour, checking the map every couple of minutes to make sure the halls were clear before angrily throwing it aside. From there, James would carefully place the map back on the bed whilst Sirius continued to pace, before the cycle would repeat. Remus and Peter were on their own beds, Peter was desperately trying to finish a Potion's essay which was due the next morning whilst Remus alternated between helping Peter and warily watching Sirius pace.

"Are you going to sit down?" Remus asked bluntly after Sirius - once again - sat down on his trunk before shooting to his feet, continuing the mutter to himself.

Sirius paused and glared at him, "Well I'm terribly sorry Remus but I'm a little agitated right now and I can't just sit here twiddling my thumbs, so I have to do something!"

"Mumbling about the Slytherin's poisoning Regulus and planning Snape's demise isn't exactly-"

"I'm not planning anything!"

Remus looked sceptical at best, "Right, you just happened to be listing the necessary ingredients for a slow acting poison for no reason. Speaking of which, why do you even know that recipe?"

Sirius waved a hand casually, "Great Aunt Cassie used to regale us with stories of how she punished any man who dared to mistreat her. _That_ was a potion she used on her Italian lover from ten years ago that had been secretly sleeping with one of the Parkinson daughters, can't remember which." 

The three boys shared wide-eyed looks, "And that was just.. the sort of thing she told you when you were a child?"

"What? No. That was dinner conversation." 

The boys only looked even more alarmed, James shook his head, "Insane, the lot of 'em."

Sirius shrugged, "Can't argue that."

Though honestly, Great Aunt Cassie was secretly one of his favourite relatives. She was _completely_ insane and always had the perfect revenge plans. Her Little Black Book of Blackmail was infamous among pureblood circles and she actually didn't seem to care _too_ much about blood purity. She was certainly still of the opinion that purebloods were superior, but she happily associated with half-bloods and even some muggleborns that she deemed worth her time.

Calling her his _favourite_ would be a lie as Regulus had and always would hold that spot, closely followed by Uncle Alphard and Andromeda, but she definitely held fourth place. Narcissa was probably fifth, he honestly didn't mind her before she got married to Malfoy. He couldn't help but reminisce back to when they were children, the five Black's of this generation had all be exceptionally close.

They'd often run around the grounds of whichever manor they were in, taking turns chasing each other or making up random games. Bellatrix and Sirius always in the lead of their respective siblings, eagerly heading off to uncover as many secrets they could. Andromeda had always been the worrier, she'd taken on a very maternal role with them all and was usually the voice of reason to Bella and Sirius' wild games. Narcissa and Regulus used to linger in the background, quietly talking and sharing secrets they'd heard.

He and Bellatrix had been like two peas in a pod, it's a shame how that turned out.

She'd become crueller as the years went on. Instead of teasingly pushing at Sirius or pinching Regulus' cheeks adoringly, she began actively trying to hurt them. Delighting in the way they'd react, usually in anger from Sirius or by dissolving into tears if it were Regulus she'd gone after. Andromeda had seemed sad, she'd quietly told them once that Bella had made some bad friends, that the pureblood superiority had gotten to her head and she was lost to them now. Narcissa had been like Regulus, too scared to say anything but certainly disproving.

Cissa always had been the soft sort, it's why her marriage to Malfoy had upset him so much. She deserved someone much better, but Andy had only said she would never go against the family, that they'd ordered her and she'd complied.

It made him think of how Narcissa and Regulus had gotten along when they were younger, both soft and kind-hearted, eager to please the family even though they may not always agree with their beliefs.

It made him worry about what Regulus would do should Mother order it.

"-clear now."

"Huh?"

James looked unimpressed, "I said the halls have mainly cleared up now."

Sirius snatched map from his hand and flicked his eyes over the fastest route to the hospital wing. He grinned maniacally and grabbed the cloak from where he'd thrown it on his bed. "See you, lads!"

Their spluttered replies were ignored as he rushed from the room, sprinting down the steps and wrapping himself in the cloak all by the time the Fat Lady's portrait closed behind him.

"Who's there?" She called, squinting slightly. "If that's you Potter, you'll be in for it!"

Sirius snickered and continued on towards the nearest passageway. Fastest route to the hospital wing was through a passageway that led diagonally to the same floor as the medical suite, followed by a series of corridors that would eventually take him right outside the main doors. On his way, he made sure to pause every so often to let someone pass or to hide in an alcove when McGonagall started briskly walking down one of the hallways, wand lighting up the path she walked. 

Cloak or not, it was always best to stay firmly out of sight.

As he reached the hospital wing, he froze when he heard voice. A glance at the map confirmed his suspicions that the Matron and Head of Slytherin were the ones conversing.

"-rried about him lately. He seems to be acting oddly."

"I was unable to remove his clothing - I had to use cleaning charms to remove the food from the front of his robes." Madam Pomfrey huffed. "Young Mister Black appears to have charmed his clothes so that only he can remove them."

Slughorn made an odd sound, "A shame, a real shame."

Madam Pomfrey puttered around, the sound of vials clinking together and parchments crinkling echoed throughout the otherwise silent hospital wing, "In all my years, I have learned there are very few reasons a student would do such a thing. Always - that they have something to hide."

Slughorn sighed, "Is it as I fear?"

"Well," she began, "It certainly could be. The usual explanations are; extreme insecurity, bullying, abuse or self-harm."

"I doubt the boy is insecure, nor do I believe he is being bullied. Mister Black certainly keeps mainly to himself - very unlike his brother - but he certainly isn't the type to be bullied."

Madam Pomfrey made a short huffing sound, "Then that only leaves abuse or self-harm, and with that shrew of a mother he has-"

"Poppy!"

"You've seen the Howlers she sends the other Mister Black," she made a noise of disgust, "That woman is utterly repugnant. She should not have been allowed to have children."

Sirius' stomach turned but he couldn't help but feel some affection for the Matron. She was terrifying when her orders were disobeyed, but she was a brilliant Medi-Witch, with the heart to match. He had seen her, eyes narrowed and lips pursed the very few times she caught him and the Marauders sneaking in to see Remus after a difficult moon. She'd always looked terribly displeased, insistent that Remus needed his rest, but she never failed to leave extra mugs of hot chocolate for the boys.

"I hate to agree, but you may be right." A flumping sound was heard, as if Slughorn had just sat down heavily in one of the thick, padded chairs. "He has been.. odd this year. Uncommonly out of sorts. His grades haven't faltered however and he's just as brilliant on the pitch as he always is."

The note of pride in Slughorn's voice warmed Sirius' heart. He had always agreed that Regulus was a fantastic Seeker, sleek and sharp in his movements with a grace that one was simply unable to teach. Even James agreed, always demanding their Seeker work harder, _make sure Black doesn't catch the snitch_ was a rule among the other Houses.

He had been terrified when he first found out that Regulus had become Slytherin's seeker in his _very first year_ , convinced his brother was too tiny and would get hurt. It had amused his friends greatly, how he'd been fussing for days leading up to the first match.

All for Regulus to catch the snitch within five minutes.

He'd never been so proud.

He had kept quiet publicly, only showing his displeasure that _Slytherin_ had won a game, but in the dorm that night he'd raved about Regulus' skills for roughly an hour. James had ended up throwing a pillow at his head to get him to shut up.

Sirius shifted slightly, images of that brightly smiling boy excitedly clutching the snitch from first year, slowly morphing into the sullen, withdrawn teen he had seen recently. Guilt burned through him and he had to tighten his grip on the cloak so his shaking shoulders wouldn't throw the garment off.

"Well, from what I can gather, he's far too underweight. Not just recently, but his whole life. He's been on nutrient potions since I first had him in my wing-"

"Ah yes, as well as the-"

Slughorn's voice faded as Sirius' ears began to ring. Nutrient potions? Since first year? And Sirius didn't know?

"-old him that he must continue to take them at least once a week. He's far too underfed, he explains it away saying he forgets to eat - too caught up in his reading - but I've seen this before, Horace! It isn't just him either, its his brother too! I've taken my suspicions to Albus and I've tried to discreetly contact a friend who works in the Magical Child Welfare office."

"That will never work, the Black family-"

"I know!" She seethed, a crash of vials breaking followed by the soft whirl of a vanishing spell cut her off, "It sickens me! How am I supposed to protect these students if-" Another vial smashed and Slughorn made a discontented sound, Sirius assumed that meant she had just wasted one of his potions. 

Sirius wanted to gag. He had always wondered why the Matron had never mentioned anything about his scars or Regulus' malnourished form. In the beginning of fourth year, he had skipped the Sorting to have his shoulder reset from where Mother had sent a bludgeoning hex at him. She had done it just as they left for the train and he had been unable to heal it the whole train ride.

He had shifted every so often, desperately trying to keep his winces hidden and only Remus seemed to have noticed his discomfort.

It had confused him that Madam Pomfrey hadn't done anything, a part of him had always hoped that perhaps they would arrest Walburga, maybe they'd put the boys with a better family. Even living with just his Father would be preferable, it's not like the man ever bothered to even acknowledge them anymore, certainly better than Walburga's abuse.

"It isn't right, Horace. The elder Mister Black is covered in bruises, burns and scars. I've seen the way he reacts to those disgusting Howlers, like he's heard it all before, that isn't okay!" She hissed, "And the younger - well - you've seen the size of him. That isn't natural. The most I could peel back of his clothing was around the edges and he's just the same as his brother. Covered!"

Sirius whimpered quietly. Surely not. He knew that Walburga Black held no true love for her sons, but Regulus was the good son. The favourite. Why would she do such a thing to him?

"Have you heard the rumours?" Slughorn asked quietly.

Madam Pomfrey seemed to still, "If you mean the cursed item story, that is a complete lie. Anyone with any basic knowledge of magical injuries can see that. For the injury to be on his neck, that would indicate a cursed necklace or perhaps a scarf of some kind. Both would make a smooth, curved line, not a rough, uneven laceration." She sniffed, "Anyway, young Regulus is far too intelligent to go poking around cursed items."

Slughorn made a discomfited hum, "I agree with you there, Poppy. But no, I meant.." Sirius stepped closer. He could just see them through the blinds in Madam Pomfrey's office. The doors to the hospital wing were closed suddenly behind him and Sirius startled, thanking his luck for moving closer before they realised the need for privacy.

Madam Pomfrey seemed to understand and leaned in closer, "You mean the rumours about _Him?_ "

Sirius squinted, 'Him?' he mouthed to himself. Surely not Regulus, the way the Matron said it, whoever 'Him' referred too was someone they weren't comfortable naming.

"Unfortunately, my dear." Slughorn exhaled, Sirius could see the man tiredly rubbing his eyes, "I had feared for my students when the whispers first started. It is inevitable - many of them will be joining."

"Awful, just awful. Do you believe Mister Black shall be one of them?"

Slughorn only sighed wearily again, "I do not know for certain. I don't think he is the type. However, I fear his family will have expectations."

"Can we not do something? Offer them sanctuary?" Madam Pomfrey demanded, "Albus surely would agree-"

"Albus believes the students must make their own decisions. We can try to influence them, but we are only their teachers. We are here to guide them, we can not force them to do anything."

Madam Pomfrey slammed her hand down and Sirius barely refrained from squeaking in surprise. It was very unlike her to lose her composure in such a way. Slughorn seemed to agree has he leaned back slightly to avoid the witch's ire.

"We would be saving them! Giving them a chance, a place where they can be safe!" She stressed, "The majority are from your house, Horace, tell me that does not upset you."

"Of course it does Poppy! But my hands are tied, believe me I have tried! Young Severus Snape, a potions prodigy - I offered him to become my apprentice! I tried to sway young Evan Rosier into trying out for the Falcons! I even attempted to show young Alecto Carrow that her aptitude for Herbology could easily grant her a Mastery should she study it further!" Slughorn exclaimed, jumping out of his seat. 

Madam Pomfrey looked much older suddenly and Sirius could barely keep up with the conversation. A pit of dread was forming in his stomach, he knew exactly what they were talking about.

Alecto Carrow had graduated two years ago, Evan Rosier and Severus Snape were set to leave this year and one thing they all had in common was their fervent wish to join the new Dark Lord, Voldemort.

But no, Regulus wouldn't, surely.

"It upsets me greatly, Poppy. My house - the house of Salazar Slytherin! Once so proud and great, known for our cunning, our ambition, our drive! Yet what are we known for? Dark Wizards, terrorists and murderers!" He cried, "When the whispers first started, I thought, surely not - my students know better! They would not join a madman, they would not let themselves become slaves to a tyrant-"

"Not all-"

"I know that! Not all of His servants are Slytherins, and not all of my snakes wish to join. But many will, most will. Whether due to pressure from their families or out of fear for their own lives, they will join. And that my dear, is why I fear for Mister Black."

Madam Pomfrey wiped her eyes, she sniffled slightly, "I wish there was more we could do. I know they are safe within these walls, I would do all I could to protect them. Minerva and I have both spoken of this ever since the disappearances first started. We can keep them safe here, but what of when they leave? Clearly some of them are not even safe within their own homes, and there is nothing I can do!"

She was gesturing wildly to her left and Sirius noted the bed closest to her office had it's curtains drawn. His stomach dropped and he decided he was done eavesdropping. Madam Pomfrey was clearly getting emotional and Slughorn didn't even seem to be uncomfortable, they must both truly be concerned.

Sirius carefully turned from the window he was looking through, shuffling slightly to keep himself fully covered by the cloak as he approached the only occupied bed.

He knew it was likely more people would appear soon. After the big feasts, there was always a few that usually required stomach soothers from the amount they'd eaten. In fact, he knew Peter would likely be one of them, perhaps Remus since his hunger for chocolatey desserts was always bigger than he could actually handle.

Sirius bit his lip as he carefully drew back the curtain, just enough to slip through. 

Once on the other side, he froze.

Laying on the centre of the bed that looked far too big for him, was his little brother. Eyes closed peacefully, body unnaturally straight and still in his clothes from earlier. Sirius couldn't help himself, he shuffled quickly to Regulus' bedside. He peered down at his rigid form and examined him closely.

This was the closest he'd been to Regulus since he was knocked out last year due to a nasty bludger from the Hufflepuff team. Sirius had snuck in - as he always did when Regulus was injured - to see him. He always made sure to leave before the boy awoke, but couldn't stop himself from always leaving a chocolate frog on his bedside table.

Before, he had been as thin and pale as usual, the only obvious mark was the large circular bruise on his shoulder and the cut on his forehead from where he'd hit the ground after falling from his broom.

Somehow, even though he was less physically injured, he looked worse off.

The skin around his mouth and eyes were pinched as if he were tense, even in sleep. His hair was longer and choppier than Walburga would have allowed, as if Regulus had forgotten to keep maintaining it. The clothes he wore were winkled and smelled slightly, even after Madam Pomfrey's spells, like he'd worn them for multiple days in a row.

Sirius tilted his head as he looked at Regulus' chapped lips, waxen skin and frail form.

Something was wrong, something was _seriously_ wrong here.

Regulus may not be as vain as some of their family members, himself included, but he took pride in his appearance. He looked gaunt, in an unhealthy way that showed little regard for how he looked.

His eyes darted over his body, desperately trying to see if there was anything he could fix. If there was anything he could do. He had to fix this.

He needed to help his little brother.

Regulus was suffering, that much he knew. He was going through some kind of difficulties and Sirius would be damned if he let his little brother drown in his misery.

As Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office and Slughorn took his leave with a saddened farewell. At the sound of the Potions Professor leaving, Sirius remembered that as much as he wanted to, he couldn't stay here all night. He leaned in closer and pushed the cloak aside so he could press his lips gently to Regulus' forehead. 

"Love you, little brother." He whispered against his skin, before pulling back and quickly covering himself again. Sirius carefully turned towards the curtains before pausing. He dug into his pocket and placed the blue and gold box of a chocolate frog right on the corner of Regulus' bedside table.

It was tradition.

Without a second glance, he quickly dashed through the curtains and didn't slow down until he was in the secret passageway that would take him close to the Gryffindor common room where he slumped against the wall, gasping for breath. He tried to calm his racing heart as he went over everything he had learned.

He had to make things right and he needed advice. 

He needed the Marauders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the next chapter Sirius and Regulus will finally talk! Yay! I hope I don't disappoint.. I'm not trying to drag it out or anything but I worry it may come across that way.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! <33


	8. The Matron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madam Pomfrey is a strong witch and Regulus kindly reminds her he is not a child. She disagrees.
> 
> Sirius continues to fret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW still apply, just to remind you all! Especially the child abuse, I'll be referencing that a lot.

Regulus stared at the little box in his lap.

It was there again.

Every single time he was hospitalised, even if only for a few hours, a chocolate frog was always left by his bed.

In fact, one time he had only been in the hospital wing for roughly two hours due to a slight fall when crossing the icy stone in December of his second year. 

He had ended up twisting his ankle slightly, something Madam Pomfrey had been able to fix within minutes and had only kept him in until dinnertime to observe him. The chocolate had been left on the bed he had only vacated two minutes previously to go to the bathroom. 

The very first time it happened, he had thought it was the Matron.

It was during his second week at Hogwarts. He had been pushed halfway down the stairs by some older boys that had been chasing each other, they'd turned the corner and knocked Regulus far back enough he'd almost fallen completely down a flight of stairs.

If it hadn't been for the Hufflepuff prefect that had been there, he likely would have hit his head on the way down and would have been much worse off than just the few bruises he'd gotten.

When he'd seen the golden edged box on the little table by the bed, he had merely shrugged and popped it into his mouth.

Then, a few weeks later, he had gone into the infirmary after he'd caught a nasty cold and been forced to stay overnight. 

The chocolate had, once again, been right beside his bed and he had barely batted an eyelash when he tore the box open, pocketed the card and scoffed the chocolate down.

It wasn't until the fifth time, sometime in March when he had been injured during a Quidditch practice, that he had thanked Madam Pomfrey. He hadn't realised he had yet to express his gratitude at what he had assumed were her actions and had been mortified, thanking her profusely for leaving the treat. 

She had given him a confused but thoughtful glance and merely replied that it was not _her_ who had left them each time.

Regulus had been even more confused and asked her if she had a helper or an elf that did such a thing.

She merely smiled, looking far too knowing and went about her business.

After that, he had desperately tried to find out who was leaving them. He had tried everything. Feigning sleep didn't work, he usually ended up falling asleep only to wake after the mystery visitor had already vanished, leaving only a chocolate frog in their wake.

Regulus had even tried to pretend he was going to the toilet, only to rush back moments later in the hopes that he would catch them. It had gotten to the point that Regulus had even started to sneak into the hospital wing to see if it happened to anyone else, he had been disappointed and yet oddly pleased by his findings.

Nobody else but he seemed to receive these little gifts.

He was disappointed at losing another opportunity to find out their identity, but he had also been oddly excited.

When he realised that he was the sole receiver of these sweet treats, he had flushed, preening with an odd sense of contentment.

Someone cared about him.

Someone wanted to brighten his day a little, something he was unfamiliar with.

In fact, upon realising this, he had called Kreacher as soon as he was back at Grimmauld and asked if he had somehow been behind the offerings. The elf had looked dismayed that it wasn't him, that he hadn't done such a thing and Regulus assured him it was not necessary. Lathering on compliments about how he thought it had to be Kreacher, because only he could be so thoughtful and clever.

Kreacher had looked abashed, muttering about giving Master Regulus _two_ chocolate frogs, not just one.

While it had been amusing, it had only served to confuse Regulus further.

Of course, he had thought, perhaps, _maybe,_ it could be Sirius.

After all, it _could_ be his brother.

But why _would_ it be?

Any time he began to go down that route, to imagine Sirius risking a detention, sneaking out at night to give his little brother chocolate, his heart ached. The thought was something he often dreamed about, thinking of catching Sirius in the act, the two reconciling, being _brothers_ again.

It always left him feeling worse, so he stopped allowing himself to think such things.

He couldn't help but feel a stirring of hope however, the idea that his brother had ditched classes just to give him a sweet was more than welcome.

And whoever it was, did sometimes skip classes. Sometime in his third year, he had been drenched in Elana Hitching's failed potion's experiment after she had melted her cauldron. He had been forced to stay in the hospital wing until the end of lunch time, missing the lesson after Potions too, to make sure all the blisters were gone.

The chocolate frog had appeared beside his bed halfway through when his third period class would have been, meaning whoever it was had snuck out of a lesson to bring him the sweet.

It was certainly something Sirius would do - skipping classes, that is.

But not for _him._

Yet.. he couldn't help but _hope._

He knew if he found the identity of his mystery visitor, he would certainly feel let down if it did end up being anyone but his brother.

Though he was still thankful, and he'd make sure to properly thank whoever they were before swallowing down the chocolate that would only leave a bitter taste in his mouth from then on.

"Another one?" Madam Pomfrey's voice was coated in amusement as well as a warm affection he'd always enjoyed. She was always so kind to him. Stern, sometimes a little forceful, but so undeniably caring he found himself wishing Mother were the same. 

Walburga Black certainly had the stern, forcefulness down, she just completely lacked the affection.

"It appears so." He said this quietly, cheeks flushing at the softness in her eyes. He didn't deserve her kindness, if she could see the repulsive stain on his left forearm she would see that. 

"Any closer to finding out who your little frog-fetcher is?"

He wrinkled his nose, "No. I keep trying to find out but.."

"Some things are better left alone." She said wisely, "Maybe they'll reveal themselves, in time. Best not to force these things."

There was a deliberateness to her voice that he found odd. He looked at her through slightly narrowed eyes. Did she know?

She laughed slightly at his look, "None of that, Mister Black. Drink your potion." The Matron pressed the awfully familiar vial of nutrient potion in his hand. "And don't think I can't tell you've been replacing meals with your supplement potions."

He cringed slightly, downing the vial before meeting her eyes sheepishly. "I forget, Madame. Sometimes I get so caught up in the library I forget to attend dinner. By the time I remember, it's too late."

"It's never too late." The wise tone seemed out of place, as if she was trying to tell him multiple things. "Besides, don't think I'm unaware that you know the location of the kitchens. The elves are always willing to please."

Regulus conceded that point. But he hadn't been lying, he truly _did_ forget to eat sometimes. He didn't have much of an appetite anyway, years of skipped meals and small portions had made him barely able to stomach more than half a plateful. 

"I apologise, Madam Pomfrey," He looked down, this was why he didn't deserve her care. He only disappointed everyone. "I'll try harder."

She frowned, "I do not need you to try, I need you to do." She raised a hand and softened slightly as he flinched, placing a gentle, wrinkled hand on his shoulder. "You are sixteen, Regulus, yet you look as if you'd be better off mingling with the third years."

He felt indignance rush through him. She was exaggerating, he knew, he definitely wasn't that small. Certainly, he was more slight than his peers, but he wasn't _that_ small. 

"I'm a respectable height-"

"I mean your weight as well, dear. You are unhealthily underweight. I believe a strict diet plan is in order." She said firmly. Straightening her shoulders she nodded determinedly and Regulus blanched. "I shall write you up a food plan. The elves will be more than happy to comply and I shall be checking your progress weekly."

A strange shuffling came from the door and Regulus looked over. His curtains had been pulled back when Madam Pomfrey noticed he was awake so he could see the full hospital wing. The row of beds were all empty and the door was firmly shut.

Curiously, Regulus glanced around the space by the door, frowning slightly when he failed to see anything out of place.

Madam Pomfrey's eyes were narrowed as she stared intently at the door, her gaze scanning from side to side as if she knew something he didn't.

She cleared her throat in an irritated manner before looking back at Regulus. "And I shall hear no complaints or I will hand feed you myself!" She demanded, turning swiftly back to her office.

Regulus gaped for a moment before huffing. "Not a bloody child." He muttered. 

He thought over her words before pausing.

"Sixteen..?" His head tilted. "Oh, yeah." The words slipped from his mouth with an absent hum. He was sixteen now, wasn't he? Had been since the very end of July.

Regulus' eyes widened as pulled his journal - still disguised as a Runes book - out from his bag that was on the floor by his bed.

If memory serves, his birthday had been the day he embarked on his mission. He flicked through the pages before letting out a slightly incredulous laugh, "Bloody hell, same birth and death day." He shook his head, "At least that's only one day for people to remember."

Most people would have been upset had their parents both decided to take a leave of absence on their birthday, but Regulus was thankful upon reflection. Their leaving had offered the perfect time to get the Horcrux. Anyway, nobody bothered with birthdays in the Noble and Most Ancient House of black, they were trivial and largely meaningless.

He remembered how surprised Sirius had been when he returned home from first year, his friends had made such a fuss that he hadn't told him when his birthday was and had thrown him a _party._ Regulus wondered what that would have been like.

A hissing sound came from the space by the door again and Regulus narrowed his eyes at the space. 

"Peeves? Is that you?"

A lack of gleeful laughter and water balloons being pelted at him was answer enough. Regulus turned back to his journal and bit his lip thoughtfully. Looking at the frantic notes from months ago, he couldn't believe how far he'd come. He not only knew the true nature of the locket, but he even knew Voldemort's true identity.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

He snorted, he would have to check later if a 'Riddle' had ever attended Hogwarts. If not, Tom Riddle was likely the son of a near-Squib and a muggleborn.

Perhaps even a _muggle._

He grinned nastily at the thought. What a _hypocrite._

As terrifying as this knowledge was, and as much as it completely overwhelmed him, he felt a sense of satisfaction. _He_ had uncovered this secret, he had uncovered this secret at the tender age of fifteen! He may be sixteen now, but a couple months didn't make much of a difference. One didn't suddenly mature just because they were technically a year older.

Regulus jotted down the name, Tom Marvolo Riddle, with a flourish and leaned back against the pillows with a contented sigh.

"Better watch out, Riddle."

Sirius was confused.

All night he had barely slept, thinking hard about what he had overheard between the Matron and the Head of Slytherin. Upon his return to the dorm, he had been slightly surprised that the Marauders were all awake. They'd apparently decided to wait up for him in case he needed an ear, something he had been immensely grateful for.

Sirius had carefully retold as much as he could remember, skirting around the details he wanted to keep private such as their suspicions of Walburga. He knew they knew anyway, that his abuse at the hand of his mother wasn't really a secret anymore, but they clearly didn't want to push the issue.

It didn't matter anymore anyway, he had left that hag in Grimmauld.

Along with Regulus.

He had recounted Slughorn's worry, his disappointment in his house's reputation and Sirius had even mentioned the people he had tried to help.

" _I knew it! Knew Snivellus was up to no good - Rosier too, he's always been the bad sort._ " _James had said, a cold look in his eye._

" _Slughorn has a point, Slytherin hasn't always had the reputation that it does. It used to be a lot more reputable, kind of like how the others are, it was well known for producing really bright students." Remus had added thoughtfully, "Pretty sure the first ever Minister was a Slytherin, in fact._ "

_Sirius had said that wasn't the bloody point but he secretly agreed. He had brought up Slughorn's worry that perhaps Regulus was going to go Dark, that although he may not want to, he would do it because of Mother._

_"He's a Slytherin," James had started cautiously, and Sirius had an angry rant on the tip of his tongue before James raised a hand to silence him, "But," He added, a firmness in his tone that had Sirius falling quiet, "You know him better than anyone, and you seem pretty bloody certain that he's a good kid."_

_"But that's what Slughorn said, that although he might not want to, that he would do it to please your- I mean- her." Peter stuttered at the end, a guilty look at mentioning that hag._

_Sirius had waved him off, "'S fine Pete. Thing is, I think he's right."_

_"You think he's gonna join?" Peter had squeaked. He always had been utterly terrified of Voldemort and his merry band of sycophants._

_Sirius nodded darkly, James had looked at Sirius sadly but resignedly. "So that's it?"_

_Before Sirius could lash out again, Remus had interjected quickly. "No, I think we have time." When Sirius looked at him, a wide, hopeful look in his eye Remus had only shrugged. "Think about it, Slughorn said he tried to go after Carrow, Rosier and Snape. What do they all have in common?"_

_James had perked up after a moments thought, "Slytherin's that either have, or will be graduating."_

_Remus had tilted his head in affirmation, "Exactly. Regulus has at least a year. I doubt Voldemort-" Peter had shrieked, prompting the other three to roll their eyes, "-is going to want a fifteen year old in his service."_

_"Sixteen. He's sixteen now."_

_"Right, sixteen, sorry. Anyway, point being, what would he even have to offer? He's at school most of the time."_

_James had taken a swig of his pumpkin juice and nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, like, the others are all of age, right? What good is a kid that can't even use their wand 'cause of the Trace?"_

_Peter had looked surprisingly thoughtful, "Aren't there ways around the Trace though?"_

_"Only in the company of other adult wizards." Before Peter could point out that Regulus' age wouldn't be an issue then, Remus had continued, "His location would be traceable though. Plus, an underage magical is able to have their wand seized and searched for harmful spells. No injunction is needed."_

_"What?" James had shot up, clutching his wand. "They can do that?"_

_Remus had looked mightily unimpressed, "James, you want to be an Auror and you don't even know that?"_

_James had spluttered, "So they can just- just-"_

_"Well duh," Sirius had rolled his eyes, "They don't even need your parents permission. As long as they have a valid reason to suspect you of something nefarious, they can do what they like. It doesn't happen often though."_

_James had continued to look indignant._

_"What? Scared Evans will find out that you're the one who's been charming the doorways of the castle to compliment her?" Sirius had grinned and had delighted in the way James shrieked with rage._

After that, they'd all either gone to bed or _pretended_ to in Sirius' case.

He had been thankful for his friend's reassurances, but he couldn't stop the nagging doubt from lingering.

Logically, he knew it was highly unlikely that Voldemort would want someone in his service as young as Regulus - the boy only just turned sixteen after all. But he couldn't help but worry.

He knew what his leaving the family did, he knew that had his mother not been Walburga Black, she likely would have been shunned by all the other society witches. Either way, she would have suffered a blow against her reputation and while that filled him with a vindictive glee, he knew she would stop at nothing to prove herself in the eyes of others.

Including selling her fifteen year old son to a Dark Lord.

It was one thing to know of Walburga Black, but to live with the witch was another story. He knew exactly the kind of person she was, better than his friends ever could, so he knew the idea of her bribing a Dark Lord to take Regulus two years early honestly wasn't all that far-fetched.

As it were, Sirius had decided he needed to settle his nerves. He needed to see Regulus. He wasn't quite sure what is plan was, he couldn't outright confront him but perhaps they could talk. 

The moment he saw Regulus awake however, he had chickened out and decided to simply observe.

And boy was he glad he had.

The conversation between the Matron and Regulus had been eye-opening to say the least. Regulus was apparently so malnourished that the Medi-Witch had decided he was going to have his meals planned for him and he would not put it past her to ask one of the house-elves to hand feed the boy just to ensure he ate.

He had barely restrained himself from laughing when she had interrupted Regulus' indignant cry that he was a 'respectable height', for her to then force him to conceded to a meal plan and left him slightly hysterical. He was dreadfully concerned, but the petulant expression on Regulus' face had made him feel a certain level of hilarity.

Of course, it had all come crashing down after the Matron had left and Regulus decided to casually mention him having almost died on his birthday.

Because, what?

Multiple explanations had crossed his mind, most likely, that whatever had caused all those scars to mar his little brother's body, had occurred on Regulus' birthday.

Except, Sirius knew Regulus had been alone on his birthday.

He knew this because Walburga had planned her trip to France months in advance, she had informed them both the moment they had stepped back into Grimmauld at the end of the last school year that she would be visiting that old grouch, Pollux, and she expected them to behave in her absence.

She would be gone for a few days at the end of July, including July 30th.

Regulus' birthday.

Sirius had been upset on his behalf even though Regulus hadn't seemed to mind. It wasn't right, but he had let it go when he remembered that within the Black family, your birthday meant nothing.

Honestly, when Remus' birthday had rolled around March of their first year, they had all planned for a small celebration for him. Remus had let it slip a week beforehand when his parents had sent a letter and a large basket filled with goodies, 'early birthday presents' the letter had declared. Sirius hadn't understood.

James had immediately slapped himself for not asking everyone's birthdays sooner and revealed his was at the end of March, Peter mentioned his was in the middle of April and when Sirius had casually said his had been November 3rd, they'd all stared at him.

They'd all taken turns demanding answers and he had simply shrugged, quoting his mother word-for-word. 

_"Birthdays are an unimportant, trivial thing. A true Black has no need for such inconsequential matters."_

To say they'd been horrified would be an understatement, because apparently, birthday's were 'super cool'. 

It was sweet really, they'd immediately thrown him a birthday party the next evening. It had been slapdash at best, but he had closed his bed curtains that night and cried, tears of pure joy falling down his cheeks.

The next year, they'd gone all out to make his first proper birthday as brilliant as it could be.

He'd cried again.

Anyway, the thought of losing Regulus had made his eyes burn. Could he truly have lost his little brother? So young and so suddenly? The cloak had almost been thrown off at that revelation, he'd been so tempted to demand an explanation, to just grab Regulus by the shoulders and shake him 'til he caved.

Sirius had watched Regulus clutch the annoyingly familiar Runes book to his chest and had scowled at not knowing what he was writing. He knew the book was _more_ than just an in-depth look at Ancient Runes, but he couldn't prove it without confronting Regulus.

Before he could slip back out, Regulus muttered, "Better watch out, Riddle."

Riddle? 

He knew the _surname,_ certainly. 

How many times had he polished that ridiculous plaque in the trophy room? Especially back in his earlier years, it was a common punishment Filch liked to dish out when he caught the Marauders sneaking out. It was during one of these detentions that he and James had come up with the idea of making a map so that Filch couldn't find them as easily.

But, he also remembered that Riddle had gotten that award some time in the 40's. So, who was Regulus talking about?

He decided he couldn't wait any longer and told himself he had to do it. He needed answers and he needed to make things right. The guilt since the night he left Grimmauld for the Potter's had only increased and he knew he needed to act.

If he didn't, he'd never get answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we finally see the Boys talk! I hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> This story is so fun to write, which I am immensely grateful for or else I likely wouldn't be updating so often! It just flows.. I love Regulus so much and I'm glad my characterisation of him isn't too off putting!
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! 
> 
> [I always thought it was strange that Madam Pomfrey never seemed to notice Harry's mistreatment from the Dursleys... anyone else? Cause sleeping in a cupboard and being denied food would certainly leave marks, and there's a chance they were physically abusive too. I always wondered.. hm]


	9. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius and Regulus finally have a talk, Regulus breaks down and Sirius just wants his baby brother to be okay.

Regulus enjoyed the softness of the bed he was on as he stared up at the ceiling. The arched stone was beautiful in its simplicity and Regulus fondly remembered the first time he'd ever seen the castle in all it's glory.

He remembered the years of stories, every time one of his cousins went off to Hogwarts, he and Sirius used to hound them for stories, for tales, for _something._ He even asked his mother and it was one of the few times she had spoken to the boys with something other than contempt.

She had explained the beauty of the castle, the magnificence of the Great Hall and the grandeur of the Slytherin common room. She had made it sound so magical it had been like being read a fairy tale before bed, something he'd learned was a thing most parents did. Of course, she had followed this up with her sharp remarks that they must bring honour to the family, that they must prove the worth of their blood. That they too must know exactly what it was like to walk the halls wearing the noble colours of Salazar Slytherin.

It was odd to think about, that although their family had only been Slytherin for generations, that she had made these demands. Probably because like Regulus, she had known Sirius was just a little too outgoing, a little too brash.

A little too _Gryffindor._

Regulus was just contemplating whether or not he should try and sneak off to his dorm to avoid Madam Pomfrey's ridiculous idea of a _meal plan_ , when he heard a strange fluttering sound.

It was as if someone had just thrown back a shower curtain, like the light scuffling against the wooden shower rails in the Quidditch changing rooms.

Before he could even turn his head, he heard words he had longed to hear for months, years in fact.

"Hello, little brother."

A strange pounding resounded through Regulus and it took him a moment to realise it was the frantic beating of his heart. His whole body had tensed and he whipped his head around to where the voice had come from.

For a second, he expected to see an empty space. For it to have been a figment of his imagination, it sadly wouldn't be the first time that had happened.

Instead, he immediately met the eyes of his older brother. Decked out in his uniform, outer robes missing, shirt untucked, Gryffindor tie done up loosely with his hair looking carelessly perfect as always. His brother was looking at him with a look he could only describe as fond, head tilted and a strange soft smirk tugging at his lips.

"I see you got my gift." 

Sirius gestured with the hand that wasn't casually in his pocket and Regulus faltered. He couldn't quite comprehend what he was seeing. Not only had Sirius come to visit him after his disgustingly _public_ fainting spell, he had also called him 'little brother'.

 _Little brother,_ something he hadn't been called in years.

Regulus jerkily looked around, trying to identify what his brother had supposedly brought him. "Wh-" He cut himself off as he saw the empty chocolate frog box by his foot. He'd thrown it there after sneering at the Albus Dumbledore card and stuffing the chocolate in his mouth.

No, no it wasn't _possible._

It was something he had barely allowed himself to dream about.

His body shook as he stared at the box. It couldn't be. Perhaps Sirius had found out about his 'frog-fetcher' as Madam Pomfrey dubbed them, and decided to prank him. Maybe he'd suddenly be unable to speak unless in limericks, or he'd look in the mirror and see he had bright pink hair.

"You..?" He cautiously turned to Sirius.

"Yep!" Sirius grinned, sauntering forward and snatching up the box. He threw it in the air before catching it, fishing inside for the card Regulus had left inside. "Ah, old Dumbles, everyone's got him." He said, crushing the box and making it into a ball. Sirius looked around and waved his wand, a chair screeching along the stone as he summoned it to him.

Sirius dropped down into the chair with a careless grace that only looked slightly arrogant for once, he grinned at Regulus from where he was throwing the ball he'd made in the air, catching it with the other hand. 

"Been bringing them for years, d'you know how many detentions I've gotten 'cause of this?" His brother raised a brow, that ridiculous smirk still on his face and Regulus _couldn't think_. "No matter, wasn't sure you would even eat them honestly. Never had much of a sweet tooth, have you? But you always liked collecting the cards, even though you pretended you didn't."

Regulus swallowed. This couldn't be happening. Sirius couldn't be here. "Why-" He paused, why what? Why was he here? Why was he acting like this? Why was he being so casual?

Why was he acting like they were _brothers?_

Sirius suddenly looked very sad, his eyes softened and he dropped the smirk. The older boy's shoulder's hunched slightly and he let out a noisy exhale, "Didn't think that would work. Oh well, thought it was worth a try."

"Excuse me?" Regulus asked. He didn't know what Sirius meant but he felt a cold pang of dread, maybe Sirius _had_ been lying. Perhaps that's what hadn't worked - he hadn't been able to fool Regulus. 

"Thought if I tried to be casual it would be easier - 'course it wouldn't be." Sirius muttered and Regulus only blinked. The elder rolled his eyes, "So difficult, aren't you, Reg?"

Regulus only continued to gape, his heart was still pounding and he couldn't help but drink in the image of Sirius. Looking at him with a soft smile and making jokes, "I- uh-"

"Don't worry, I've missed that about you, little star."

Little star..

 _Little star_.

It had been so long.. it was as if the floodgates had opened and Regulus couldn't hold back a strained sob.

_"C'mon little star!"_

_"'M not little!"_

_"'Course you are! I'm a big star and you're a little star! Ickle baby Reggie!"_

_"Take it back!"_

_"No way! Grow up first!"_

_"You- you- mutt!"_

_"Oi! Take it back, brat!"_

He cupped his mouth and screwed his eyes shut as his body hunched over. The panic, fear, wistfulness and love that had come to him upon seeing Sirius was suddenly overwhelming and he couldn't hold the tears back any longer. His body trembled as he sobbed into his hands, this was all too much for him. 

Arms wrapped around him and only served to further his breakdown, he could feel the inferi again, clawing at his skin, tearing his flesh. He couldn't breathe, they were going to drown him again, he was _drowning,_ his lungs burned and he felt the water fill his mouth as he choked. He could feel the icy sting of the lake water and the ringing of his ears deafened him. He thought he was free, but they'd found him again.

Fear paralysed him and just as his vision darkened he whispered;

"I don't want to die."

Sirius had immediately lurched up when Regulus first let out that awful, choked cry. He had tried to calm his brother down, stroking his back and whispering in his ear but the moment he touched him it was as if Regulus had been stolen away and replaced by a frightened child in the midst of a nightmare.

He desperately tried to soothe his brother but nothing was working. Regulus continued to brokenly sob and gasp for air, and when he suddenly choked out, "I don't want to die." Sirius hollered for Madam Pomfrey.

The Medi-Witch had appeared so quickly Sirius thought she must have apparated even though he knew it was impossible. She promptly began waving her wand and muttering to herself, her bun was still impeccably tight and the only evidence of her worry was the pursing of her lips. Her hands were steady as she continued to cast and Sirius was grateful that she seemed to know exactly how to help his little brother.

"Speak to him, Mister Black. He is having a flashback, a panic attack, he is not truly seeing us at the moment, he sees something else."

"Wh- but, why?"

She looked at him briefly before continuing her wand movements, "I do not know what, but over the holidays Mister Black seems to have experienced something rather distressing. I would need to question him further, but I would be unsurprised if he has some form of post-traumatic stress disorder."

Sirius didn't know exactly what that meant but he could take a guess. Something bad had happened, bad enough that it had traumatised Regulus.

Regulus' words from earlier flicked in to his mind, _"I don't want to die"_ , he'd said. So, bad enough that it had almost killed him. Likely, what had scarred his brother's body too.

Thanks to Madam Pomfrey, Regulus didn't seem to be struggling to breathe anymore, but he was still shaking badly. His eyes were wide and wild, as if he was seeing something other than the Hogwarts hospital wing, just as the Matron had suggested. 

"R-Reggie? Little star? It's okay, you're okay. You're safe, little one. We're at Hogwarts, remember? You're in the hospital wing, you can feel the sheets on your skin, right? Hear my voice, feel where you are, Reg." He started out unsurely, but he was determined to try and help his little brother.

Regulus continued to tremble but one of his hands suddenly twisted in the sheets.

"Good! That's it, little one. You're in bed, nobody is here to hurt you. You're safe, you're safe with me. I'm here, your big brother, remember? I won't let anyone hurt you, neither will Madam Pomfrey. We're here to keep you safe a-and after this, we'll sneak down to the kitchens and I'll have the elves whip up a nice mug of hot chocolate."

The Matron didn't even bat an eyelash at this, only puttering away to bring back a few different potions. At his words, however, Regulus seemed to relax slightly, "W-With whipped cream?" The small voice was music to his ears. Sirius refrained from cheering as he carefully laid a hand on Regulus' upper arm.

He made sure the hand he was extending was perfectly visible and slowly squeezed the boys arm, "'Course, otherwise what's the point?" He grinned shakily and delighted in the way Regulus seemed to slump with relief.

His breathing was still stuttered and he was still trembling slightly, but Sirius counted it as a win. Sirius ran a hand through Regulus' thick hair, "Stop." The younger mumbled, flushing as he pulled back, "Need to cut it."

"You do, it's almost as long as mine." He beamed, ruffling his hair again and internally dancing at the way Regulus slightly leaned in to his hand. 

Regulus looked down at his lap and fidgeted, something he rarely did as Mother had _lovingly_ hexed such plebeian actions out of them, "Why are you here?"

And wasn't that heart breaking. Most sibling pairs didn't have to wonder that, it was just a given. Of course he'd check on his little brother when he was in the hospital wing, but the years of growing separation between them had strained their bond. The fact that Regulus had seemed so surprised that he was the one leaving the chocolate stung more than he could admit.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" He replied softly, "I wasn't lying. Every time you're in here I make sure you're okay. I don't give a damn what that ugly tapestry says, you're my brother. Nothing will change that."

Regulus bit his lip, "Really?" The hope in his voice made Sirius want to cry. Had he done this? Was his brother truly so shocked that he didn't seem to hate him?

"Of course!" Sirius sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through Regulus' hair again, "Listen to me. I-" He looked away for a moment before meeting his eyes unfalteringly, "I haven't been the best brother to you, I've abandoned you and I can imagine I've hurt you more times than I'd like to admit."

The thought that perhaps he'd hurt Regulus in ways not even Walburga had managed to, crossed his mind.

"But no matter what, you will always, _always_ be my little brother. And I'm so fucking sorry. I'm so, so sorry for everything I've done. I'm sorry for treating you differently after your sorting, I'm sorry for abandoning you and acting as if you aren't _the single most important person in my life_ because - you are, Reg. And I'm so sorry for not telling you that I love you, that although I _had_ to leave, that you would always be my brother, and I love you so much."

Because, while he certainly regretted leaving Regulus at Grimmauld, he couldn't apologise for freeing himself. Staying in that awful, stylised mausoleum was a form of psychological torture that he just couldn't endure any longer.

 _But maybe he should have taken Regulus with him_.

Regulus eye's filled with tears and he lurched forward to wrap his arms tightly around Sirius, "O-Oh, oh, Siri." He wailed, "I love you too. You- I'm sorry too. I let Mother do awful things to you-"

"I never want you to feel sorry for that, I'd do it all over again with a smile on my face, Reg."

"No! I meant, other than the punishments but, that too! I- I just stood there! I could have done something- I- maybe if I'd misbehaved more she wouldn't have been so cruel to you."

"Like I said-"

"And Slytherin! We both know where I was meant to go, but- she- I was too _scared._ I was too much of a _coward_ to choose my own path, I let her decide for me." Regulus seemed to be getting worked up again, as if he were gearing up for more and Sirius stroked his back to soothe him. It wasn't the time nor the place.

"Relax, Reg. Don't get worked up, you've only just managed to calm down and you fainted yesterday. You have to keep calm, we can talk more about the difficult stuff later." Sirius murmured, tracing patterns on Regulus' back. "Pay attention now." He whispered before tracing a familiar shape, removing his finger and retracing the motion on the centre of Regulus' back.

The sniffling quieted and Regulus seemed confused for a moment before he brightened, "Ursa Major!" He declared, looking up at Sirius with wide eyes, flushing when Sirius shot him a proud grin. Sirius changed the pattern and Regulus immediately called, "Canis Major, couldn't help yourself, could you?"

Sirius gave a sly grin, "Wanted to see how quick you were, still as sharp as ever." He complimented. It was a game they used to play, guessing the constellations, taking turns drawing them on each others backs or arms late at night. It was also the best way to calm Regulus down after one, or both, of them had been punished. Giving him something to focus on and forcing him to use his brain for something else always worked.

As he finished tracing the next constellation, Regulus seemed to get confused, his eyebrows furrowed before he brightened, "Hydra!" A few moments later, "Lyra - far too easy." He grinned and Sirius bit back a laugh, Regulus had always gotten oddly competitive when they played. "Serpens Caput." 

The game continued on for a few more rounds, Regulus even keeping up when Sirius added another twist, requesting he name the brightest star in each constellation such as, "Cygnus, brightest star - Deneb." This was followed by, "Aquila, Altair." and "Boötes, Arcturus." 

"Now, my favourite one." 

Regulus rolled his eyes, "You already did Canis Major, Siri."

"Not a dog.." He said, trailing off as his finger drew the odd outline of the constellation in mind.

Regulus paid close attention to the movements before he seemed to startle. 

"Leo, brightest star, Regulus."

"Regulus, also known as the 'Little King'. 'The Heart of the Lion'. The 'Lionheart', one could say." Sirius added, "My favourite constellation. Not only is it terribly Gryffindor - Hercules slaying the Nemean Lion is definitely up my alley though - but it also represents _you_ very well."

His brother flushed, "I'm no Gryffindor."

"I disagree." Sirius argued softly, "I think you are, maybe later I'll tell you why. For now, I'm pretty sure I promised you some hot chocolate?"

Regulus grinned slowly, "With whipped cream?"

"C'mon." He cocked his head, tugging his brother off of the bed. "Before Madam Pomfrey comes back, she's a bloody tyrant when it comes to her patients."

The younger snickered, "Somehow I doubt she'll object." He dropped the grin suddenly, "Wait, what if-"

He cut himself off as Sirius pulled out a strange, silvery material from his pocket. Sirius grinned at the confused look on his brother's face that morphed into complete awe when he slung it over himself, "Boo." He whispered, now completely invisible.

Regulus startled, staring wildly at the space where he had been. "You- an invisibility- _that's_ how you snuck in here! You- how the bloody hell-"

Sirius laughed, flinging the cloak aside to wrap around Regulus. "It's James' but he let's me borrow it. Don't tell him I told you though, it's supposed to be a Marauder secret."

Regulus looked oddly pleased to be let in on such a secret and Sirius bit his lip to stop from smirking at the way his nose wrinkled when he mentioned James. "How does he have such a valuable item?"

"It's an heirloom apparently." Sirius shrugged, "He's had it since first year, got it from Fleamont before he started Hogwarts. Apparently it's tradition to pass it down the main line of the Potter family. James'll probably do the same for his kids."

His brother frowned, "An heirloom, you say?"

Sirius raised a brow, "Yeah?"

"Invisibility cloaks are usually made of demiguise hair, they last a decade at _most_ before wearing out and becoming like any regular travelling cloak. You say this has been in his family for generations?"

They had slipped from the hospital wing and were carefully making their way down the hall. Sirius was surprised he and Regulus fit so well under the cloak, the Marauders usually had to use the map a lot more and usually had Peter in his Animagus form to make things easier. He felt a pang of grief, inwardly grimacing at the true fragility of his brother's tiny form.

Sirius blinked. He'd known James cloak was special, after all, an invisibility cloak that properly made you invisible as an heirloom wasn't exactly common. But he hadn't known the cloak wasn't supposed to even still be working. "Yeah.. James told me it's been around for centuries." They turned a corner and Sirius thanked his Animagus form as he ducked into an alcove, shushing Regulus when he went to protest.

A moment later, Professor Flitwick passed, clearly finishing up his rounds.

Regulus turned to him in surprise, "How did you know?"

Sirius winked, "Tell you later." He would have to discuss it with the Marauders. Regulus wasn't stupid, if he knew Sirius were an Animagus it would be a logical conclusion that the others were too, from there he may even take a closer look at Remus and he may accidentally end up spilling Moony's secret.

"Anyway," Regulus huffed, clearly displeased as they began their trek down to the kitchens. "Clearly there's more to your friends cloak than maybe even he knows. In fact, I'll bet it's one of a kind." He shook his head, "Such a priceless thing and you all use it to slip dungbombs in the Potion's classroom."

"Oi! I'll have you know we've upgraded from dungbombs - we've matured."

"Oh certainly. I can tell that by your wrinkles." 

Sirius gasped, "That was low." He scowled, "I've gotten these wrinkles worrying over you, you ungrateful brat."

Regulus paused, turning to him with doleful eyes. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

"I was- bloody hell Reg I was joking. Well, no I wasn't 'cause you've certainly assured I'll be needing to dye my roots earlier than I would have liked. But honestly-" He turned to him, pulling him gently along to the entrance of the kitchens. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm glad you feel okay to joke around with me, I want us to... I want us to be brothers again Reg. We're gonna need to talk it out, get everything out there, but it can be done. I want you back in my life Reg, worrying is a part of the job of being a big brother."

"I want that too," Regulus' lip trembled and he hurriedly turned to tickle the pear on the painting before them. "Come on, I've cried far too much lately. It's unbecoming."

Sirius snickered, "Oh what would _Mother_ say."

Regulus snorted, "She'd probably be more upset that I'm not immediately hexing you on sight."

Sirius beamed, "You wouldn't do that. You love me too much, ickle baby brother."

His brother wrinkled his nose, "I certainly do not." But the pleased grin and softness of his eyes showed his true feelings.

For Sirius, he couldn't be happier. He watched as Regulus slipped into the kitchens, greeting the elves by name and shaking their hands. His brother crouched, hugging one of the smallest elves he'd ever seen, clearly a newly matured elf that was now old enough to work. He watched as his brother softly conversed with the elf, wiping the poor creature's eyes as it teared up from the kindness his brother was showing it.

Sirius felt his heart constrict. He truly couldn't be happier that he and Regulus were talking again. He'd missed his brother dearly, spending many nights lamenting the distance between them, wishing things had been different.

As he watched Regulus giggle when an elf began to insist that Regulus would get a nice heaping of marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles with his hot chocolate, he wiped a tear, feeling properly content for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my soft, soft boys. How I love them.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts, I hope you're all enjoying the Black Brother's fluff - it won't last forever, there's Horcrux Hunting and a war to come after all! As well as some friend jealousy, arguments and good old fashioned angst.


	10. The Full Disclosure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus lays everything out, Sirius is upset.
> 
> Meanwhile, house-elves are precious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was almost 6000 words.. I had to cut it before speaking of the Dark Mark and the Horcrux or it'd have been a complete beast of a chapter!

Regulus giggled at the tiny elf that was attached to his waist. He'd watched as some of the elves puttered off to make his and Sirius' drinks, some of them instead hurrying to make the snacks Sirius had requested for them, all the while he'd spoken with the barely matured elf before him.

He was a tiny thing. Skin barely wrinkled and eyes full of a vibrancy only seen in someone so youthful, Regulus doubted his own eyes held the same innocence and couldn't stop from cooing at the little elf. He had burst into tears when Regulus had been kind to him, apparently he'd been informed by many of the other elves that most humans would not bother with such a thing.

Apparently, he had only recently come to Hogwarts - having been in the nest when his bearer died in an accident that had also claimed the life of the family he had been planning to work for. He had come to Hogwarts when Ministry workers had found the elf in the wreckage of the house and it was only due to the presence of Albus Dumbledore that day in the Ministry Atrium that had assured the elf a nice life working in Hogwarts.

Many elves were not so lucky.

Sirius had seemed oddly introspective, happily sitting at one of the tables and watching the elves go about their business. However, he'd felt the weight of Sirius' gaze on him more than once and couldn't help but wish he knew what his brother was thinking.

When Sirius had tearfully apologised to him, saying all the words he'd secretly wished he'd say for years, he'd broken down completely. He'd been embarrassed after his panic attack but Sirius had been so reassuring and loving he could still feel the urge to cry again. Their little constellation game had brought back a wave of nostalgia that weakened him further and he knew that things _would_ be okay.

It would take some time, but thing's would get better.

He and Sirius loved each other, he knew that now. His brother hadn't _meant_ to leave him, he'd been escaping from an abusive household and Regulus couldn't fault him for that. Still, he wished Sirius had at least _asked_ him to come with him.

Regulus knew when it was time, he'd have to reveal everything. He'd have to recount Kreacher's mission and everything that followed, his research, the Horcrux and the events at the cave. How he'd almost lost his life and hadn't planned to tell Sirius anything, _that,_ he knew, would upset his brother greatly.

He certainly wasn't looking forward to it, and a glance at Sirius showed a certain wariness reflected in his brother's eyes. No, he definitely wasn't looking forward to this talk, but it had to be done. They would never be able to truly forgive each other and if they didn't there would be no hope for true reconciliation.

A reconciliation that he hungered for.

One of the elves happily presented a plate to them, "Mipsy be finished!" The elf snapped her fingers and the rest of the dishes the elves had prepared popped into existence on the table Sirius was sitting at. Regulus stood and shuffled over, cautiously seating opposite his brother and looking at the plates.

There was one with a row of sandwiches cut into triangles, some had sliced cheese and ham, some had chicken and lettuce and some had a pâté of some kind. Another platter boasted an array of fruits either cubed, sliced or simply peeled. There was even a platter of sweets; chocolates, fudge, biscuits and some small brownies. Another elf puttered over and placed their mugs of hot chocolate before them. Both were piled high with whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles, though Sirius' also had a large chocolate wafer and some kind of chocolate sauce drizzled on top.

Regulus thanked the elves profusely, kicking his brother in the shin to remind him to do the same. His brother hissed and thanked them too, already slurping at his drink. "You're gross."

"Not my fault you're a weirdo, honestly, I've never understood your complete lack of a sweet tooth." 

"Excuse me?" Regulus retorted, "Do you see how much sugar is currently in this cup? This is more than enough - you'll make yourself unwell with the way you carry on."

"You can barely eat half a slice of chocolate cake without gagging."

"Chocolate is a delicacy, it is rich and ridiculously sweet. I've never understood _your_ ability to scoff down three slices in a row!"

Sirius grinned, "If you think that's bad, wait until you see Moony. He could eat a whole platter of chocolate brownies in one sitting." He said, swiping up a ham and cheese sandwich and taking a bite.

Regulus gaped momentarily, "That's appalling! How does he do it?" 

Sirius seemed to falter and Regulus' eyes narrowed. He'd done the same earlier when he'd asked how he'd managed to hear Flitwick from so far away. It only took a moment to realise that meant it was likely some secret that involved his friends, one he either wouldn't or hopefully, _couldn't_ share. At least if that were the case it would mean his brother wanted to tell him these things, only his ridiculous loyalty (that Regulus secretly admired) inhibited him from doing so.

"Honestly, if this is about that whole werewolf thing-"

Sirius startled so hard he shook the entire table and it was only the quick work of the house-elves that stopped the food from decorating the floor. They'd even managed to save their drinks from spilling over.

"What- you- werewolf? What werewolf thing? Where'd you get such a r-ridiculous idea?" He asked, looking at Regulus as if he were particularly mad.

Regulus reflected the look, he and Sirius had both always been excellent liars except to each other. "I'm not stupid, Siri. It's fairly obvious if you think about it. The sickly look to him, the frequent disappearances that just _happen_ to coincide with a certain phase of the moon - not to mention the scars. They're definitely the most conclusive piece of evidence, only injuries brought on by a Dark creature of some kind can scar like that." Regulus couldn't help but falter slightly at the end, running a finger across the cicatrix that snaked down his thigh.

Sirius slumped, "Is it really that obvious?"

"Not terribly so," Regulus hummed, mind slowly leaving the inferi, "I only bothered to look into it out of curiosity. Though I'll admit, the whole 'Moony' thing isn't very subtle."

Sirius grinned sheepishly, "You've got me there. Moony didn't like the name at first but I pointed out that his real name was just as damning."

"I've always wanted to know - did they know they'd be having a werewolf son or did they just name him Wolfy McMoonlover coincidentally?"

Sirius threw his head back and laughed, he'd asked pretty much the same question, "Remus said they didn't know but get this, his mother's maiden name?" He paused for effect, smirking slightly when Regulus leaned in. He couldn't help it, he had the famed Ravenclaw curiosity in spades. "Howell."

"You're lying." He deadpanned. "There is no bloody way."

"Nope, I'm actually not."

Regulus gaped as Sirius continued to laugh. "Your friends are all insane."

Sirius snickered, "True. I'd make some quip about yours but I'll be honest, I don't know if they even exist." He didn't say it to be cruel, it was just a fact, though it was clear Sirius was _attempting_ to ask in a discreet way.

He shrugged, "It's true, I don't really have any friends. Not that I'd want to - most of the people in my year are either considered unsuitable by Mother or they're not the sort I'd like to befriend. Kreacher is probably my best friend."

Sirius groaned at the mention of that elf, "Little beast." he mumbled.

Regulus immediately kicked him in the shin again, "Don't be mean to Kreacher!"

"Ow! Brat - stop kicking me!"

Regulus glared at him, "I'm serious. I'm not exactly fond of the company you keep, but I don't say anything. I'd expect you to do the same. Kreacher is my friend, respect that."

"He's a little bloody menace. And is that a dig at Moony? 'Cause I'll have you know-"

"I meant Potter. I have no issue with Lupin, he seems to be the best of your little friends honestly. And don't get me _started_ on Pettigrew."

Sirius frowned, "What's wrong with James and Peter?"

Regulus looked at him carefully. "Do you want me to be honest?"

His brother tilted his head, "Might as well. I think we'd both be better off just airing everything out, putting it all out on the table, so-to-speak." He said, gesturing in the air at the table before them. "No point lying or hiding anything. Just be truthful, even if it's brutal. I'll try not to be too defensive as long as you don't say anything out of line." He promised.

Regulus sighed, "Firstly, I'm really not as prejudiced as you seem to think I am. I wasn't about to start ranting and raving about half-breeds and blood-traitors like you seem to expect. That's more Mother's forte." 

Sirius frowned at him, "I don't think you're _that_ prejudiced. But I don't know Reg - it's been a while."

"Well, as I said, I'm not. I've done my research and like I said, I actually don't have a problem with Lupin. In the almost seven years he's attended Hogwarts, there hasn't been any deaths or reports of savage werewolf attacks, so clearly there's nothing wrong there. Nor have I ever seen him attempt to bite anyone and he's certainly the most mild-tempered one of your group, so clearly the idea that werewolves are mindless beasts isn't true either."

Regulus inwardly frowned at the startled look on Sirius' face.

"It hurts me that you seem to be so surprised. Do you truly think so little of me?"

"No! Of course not!" His brother cried, "I'm just surprised you seem to have put so much thought into researching it all."

"I've always enjoyed research, it's always good to have all the facts."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Swotty little brother, I've got. I _don't_ think you're a prejudiced little arse, by the way. I know you actually have a brain and you use it well, but as I said, it's been a while. Mother could have gotten her claws into you, you know how manipulative she can be. Okay?" Regulus watched him warily for a moment before nodding. "I'm glad you were honest, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, I didn't mean to." He brightened suddenly, "See! This is good! Talking!"

"Ah yes, so _healthy."_ He rolled his eyes, "As for the other two, well, Potter is an arrogant arse. Even you can't deny that. There's being confident and secure in oneself, and there's being a bullying, conceited prick. With his attitude he wouldn't be out of place among pompous gits like Lucius Malfoy and his ostentation of peacocks."

The older boy blinked, seemingly startled. Regulus casually took a sip of his drink before continuing, "He's rude, quite frankly. He's certainly gotten better over the years, but I still don't much like him. I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, giving him a Head Boy badge, Lupin would have been far better suited for the position."

Sirius seemed to agree with him there, "That's true, but Moony couldn't do it. Prefect is one thing but Head Boy duties are more extensive. So they gave it to James instead." He carefully avoided the other things he said and Regulus wondered whether he secretly agreed to anything else he'd said. Unlikely, but one could hope.

"It should have gone to you then, not Potter. Nobody else in your year is close to your grades besides _them_ anyway, and Potter is also Quidditch captain. They should have given you the Head Boy badge and Potter could keep Quidditch." Regulus said blithely as he nibbled on a piece of a sandwich Sirius had shoved in his hand.

Sirius startled again, "Really? Me?"

"You've matured over the years." Is all Regulus said. He decided to change the topic as Sirius was looking far too thoughtful and that was never good, "As for Pettigrew, honestly I probably dislike him more so than I do Potter, but not as much as I dislike most of the other idiots in our age-group."

"Really? Why? Peter's pretty... unremarkable." And Regulus thought that was a kind way to say forgettable and largely useless.

Regulus sighed, "Right, we said we'd be honest. Okay, I think he's weak. But not weak in the sense that he'd fold easily and crumble, I think he's the type to dig a clever little hole, hide out for a bit, and then emerge a victorious little rat when a passer-by accidentally drops a nice lump of cheese right in front of him."

Sirius seemed confused and also very cautious. "Rat?"

The younger shrugged, chewing on his sandwich thoughtfully before he swallowed. "He's like a vulture. A rat. Pick any other animal that scavenges and uses the intelligence of other animals for survival." He swallowed another mouthful, "He's weak in the sense that he does not do anything for himself. He hides behind others and that is a trait I despise. It's pathetic. I may not be the strongest, most outspoken person around, but even _I_ refuse to hide behind anyone else, at least not anymore."

Sirius pondered this, "I can't... I mean-" He roughly bit in to a brownie that was in his hand, chewing forcefully as he thought his words through. "I don't disagree but I don't completely agree. James is an arrogant prat, but he has gotten better. He can be a bit up himself yeah, but it isn't too bad. The bullying though - _neither_ of us are proud of that, I was just the same after all and we've both talked it through. I'm not proud of it but there were times that the situation either got out of hand or the full story was never shown. Usually when Snape's ugly mug was involved."

Regulus watched as his brother furrowed his brows and continued, "And- Peter, well, again I don't completely agree, he's tougher than he looks. But-" He trailed off, finishing off his snack, "He's definitely the weakest of the _Marauders._ But he's still strong! He's just insecure."

"Insecurity is a lethal trait. Especially with a war coming." He said darkly and Sirius' eyes widened. "You know it as well as I do, Siri. The wars already here, it's been here for a while - we're just blind to it."

Sirius nodded glumly, "I know. And it worries me. I worry about my friends and _you_ constantly. When we graduate... I don't know what it'll be like. People are dying all over, some of them- their bodies don't even turn up! Or some turn up months later! It's horrible." He seemed not to want to talk about the possibility of an insecurity complex getting his friend killed. "My turn now though, I've never understood your thing with Kreacher. He's a vile little beast that does anything Mummy dearest asks."

"Perhaps because his very being is designed to obey?" Regulus asked hotly, "Perhaps because if he disobeys she'll beat him black and blue? Perhaps, in fact, it is because he has no choice _but_ to do what she says or his very reason for existence is pointless!"

Sirius leaned back slightly, "That doesn't mean he can get off on-"

"He doesn't! He hates her orders! He has no choice!" Regulus hissed, slamming a palm down. "Kreacher has been there for me when I've needed somebody most. He has never once done me wrong - he saved my life, in fact! And I will not sit here and listen to you disrespect him for something he cannot control. He may not always be pleasant or full of smiles, but with the way you've always treated him as if he's lesser than you, that isn't surprising."

After Regulus was through with his little rant, his chest was heaving. He could feel the angry red flush on his cheeks and his fists were clenched on top of the table as he glared at his brother. But he couldn't regret his slip in composure, Kreacher had always been a sore subject between the two and after the events over the previous summer, he would not allow his friend to be insulted.

"Saved your life?"

The anger in Regulus faltered slightly, "What?"

"You said... you said he saved your life. What do you mean by that?"

Swallowing thickly, Regulus tensed. He hadn't meant to say that, he'd just been so caught up in defending his friend that he'd had a slip of the tongue. And of course, Sirius was like a dog with a bone. He wouldn't let that information pass him by, nor would he be satisfied with an offhand explanation. 

"He... I just meant from Mother, you know how her punishments can get. He tries to sneak me food or heals me as best he can."

Sirius only continued to stare at him, "You're lying, we said we wouldn't lie."

Regulus winced. His brother was always able to read him, not one time had he been able to successfully lie to Sirius' face, it was too hard. He never _wanted_ to deceive his brother, but was it deception if the truth would only hurt him? He quietly voiced this to his brother, adding, "It'll only upset you."

But Sirius only snorted and continued to meet Regulus' gaze fiercely, "Tell me everything."

So reluctantly, Regulus did, pausing to flick his wand and feel the pulse of the strong secrecy wards he'd erected.

He started out carefully, he didn't know whether to mention his joining the Death Eaters and decided he'd try and skate past those details. Instead, he focused on Kreacher and the Dark Lord's task for him. Sirius leaned in slightly at this and Regulus continued, mentioning how reluctant Regulus had been and had cleverly ordered his elf to come back as soon as he deemed the Dark Lord's task complete.

When Sirius only gestured for him to continue, Regulus grimaced, recounting the sorry state his beloved friend had been in upon his return. Even Sirius, who held little else but contempt for the elf, seemed to recoil slightly at the description Regulus gave. "I don't get how he saved your life, would the- Voldemort, would he have wanted you to go in Kreacher's place or something?"

"Certainly not," Regulus said sharply, as if Voldemort would have willingly showed him the secret he guarded so closely. Well, perhaps he would have if he'd known Regulus would die shortly after, but he doubted the man thought it worth the risk. A house-elf was considered to be a mindless, obedient creature, something humans generally were not. "But after seeing Kreacher in that state..." Regulus trailed off, his earlier anger returning.

Sirius gaped, "You did something stupid."

"I did." He replied shortly, "I did what was necessary."

From there, he continued on. First describing his plunge into research, desperate for answers. He then retold how he found out about something deadly, ignoring Sirius' demands to know exactly what, only saying it was of unbelievable importance and that if Voldemort knew, he would be killed. It was at this that Sirius seemed to pale and look around warily, seemingly understanding why Regulus had quickly flicked his wand to erect privacy wards. "And here I thought you were just paranoid."

Regulus swallowed again, "No, I'm not. But he is and Sirius, if he knows what I've done... death will be the least of my concerns."

Sirius seemed to tremble slightly, only silently gesturing for him to continue. Regulus shakily presented his plan, how he'd decided it was the only way forth, that he must steal the locket. "What! Are you insane?"

"No, just very determined." The succinctness of his voice seemed to only further Sirius' ire, "Please. I did what was necessary for my friend, you would do the same if it had been Potter that had been wronged, would you not?"

His brother still seemed mutinous, "Maybe, but I'd at least tell someone first! Get a proper team together, plan it out!"

Regulus shook his head, "There was no time and nobody else I would trust. Kreacher performed admirably anyway."

"What about me? Don't you think I'd have liked to know you were off on a suicide mission?" He seethed, "Because that's what that was."

Shrugging carelessly, Regulus observed the angry flush on his brothers cheeks and sighed, "Sirius, another reason for this excursion was the nature of the magic involved. What _He_ has done is- He's gone too far. It's beyond anything imaginable and it is so dangerous you can not even _begin_ to understand the consequences of His action's."

"So that's just it then? You would have died and, what? I'd have been none the wiser? Just completely unaware you'd gone and- and-" He trailed off, gesturing wildly with his hands, seemingly lost for words.

Regulus nodded, "Yes, and I apologise for that." When Sirius only snorted, looking away from him he snarled, "Listen. I get I may not have gone about it the right way, and I know you're upset. But I did what had to be done and honestly? I don't regret it, I'd do it all over again if I had to."

His brother met his gaze warily, still beyond upset but seeming to understand the gravity of the situation. "Just what have you uncovered, little one?" He asked softly. 

"I- I'll tell you after. It's... you can't even-" He shook his head, swallowing a grape he'd hastily popped in his mouth to give him a moments reprieve, "It's truly horrific, Sirius. This isn't anything like school, it isn't a stupid game filled with childish antics. It's life or death, it's pain beyond imagination and real life consequences for your actions. When you graduate you'll be exposed, a blood-traitor son of a Dark house and I imagine you'll be firmly aligning with Dumbledore and his glorified soldiers?"

"It's a noble cause! We're going to be doing what's right!"

"Under the orders of a very powerful man that sits back and lets other's do his bidding. Sound familiar?"

Sirius seemed to flounder, "Dumbledore is _not_ like Voldemort."

"Isn't he?" He tilted his head, "I uncovered something that could change the tides of this war, something I know for certain Dumbledore knows. Or at least he highly suspects. And yet, it is not public knowledge. He is happy to sit back and let children be recruited into Voldemort's schemes right under his nose while he only scoops up the Light seeming Gryffindors and asks them to join his side instead."

"I-" Sirius paused, "You're right I suppose, he's already approached James and I. He didn't outright say it, but he caught us one night - don't know how 'cause we had the cloak - but he mentioned the uh, upcoming politics and said it was important to show where we stood. James, you know him, Gryffindor to the bone, he practically offered to jump into battle right there."

Regulus nodded, "And yet, Slytherin's that do not wish to join are left to flounder. We'd never be trusted by the Light and we would be signing our death's if we join the Dark. We're apparently a lost cause, not _worth_ saving. So, no, I'll wait until I think you're fully in the right mind before I tell you what I found."

Sirius seemed to slump, "I get that, I do. But I want to help you Reg - you can bet your arse I'm not letting you run off and do something stupid. And don't give me that look," He pointed a finger at Regulus' face sharply, "You've obviously been gearing up for something, I don't know what, but I want in."

"You may not wish to if you knew how dangerous-"

"Fuck the danger! I don't care! I'm not about to sit back and twiddle my thumbs whilst my idiot baby brother runs off defying a Dark Lord, which is what I'm assuming you're going to do considering you apparently stole one of his toys."

Regulus felt a hysterical laugh bubble up in his chest at a Horcrux being called a toy but conceded that Sirius did not know the true nature of the locket. He only sighed wearily and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. "Fine, whatever. But, well, stealing the thing wasn't exactly an easy task."

Sirius waved a hand for him to continue and Regulus did. Watching as Sirius' face slowly morphed into fear, horror and pain as he narrated the events of _that_ night. How the waves outside the entrance had almost pulled him under, how he'd maimed himself willingly for entry, how he'd slowly sailed across the lake with only Kreacher's tiny hand in his for company. He then spoke of the potion in the basin, how it had glowed with a sinister glare as if daring him to drink and survive the after effects.

He then spoke of what he saw. Regulus had originally thought to skip over these details but as he got lost in his retelling, he couldn't. It all flowed from his mouth as if he were watching it all happen again. He spoke softly of the pain, the absolute agony as Kreacher forced him to drink. Of how Sirius had appeared to him, first loving and kind before changing into an corrupt, twisted version of himself.

How Sirius, who he loved so desperately, had ordered him to die after insulting him with some of the cruellest things he could have spat. How Regulus had been eager to comply, to make the nightmare stop and gain some peace. He spoke of how the water had cleared his mind, giving him a momentary reprieve before the inferi struck.

When he first mentioned the undead, Sirius seemed ready to pass out and he vaguely noted he'd forgotten to mention them when he told him about what happened to Kreacher. He wasn't sure how. When he spoke of how they'd viciously tore into his flesh, bringing him deep into the water and mangling his already damaged form, he seemed ready to vomit. Regulus absentmindedly traced the discoloured line across his throat, one hand cupping his ribs as he told his brother of his final thoughts.

He slowed down, mentioning the water choking him and the lack of oxygen finally making his vision blur before he passed out, or succumbed to death as he had thought at the time. 

Sirius seemed to be frozen, unable to speak or blink. He continued to stare at Regulus with a horrified gaze, looking at him intently as if expecting to see him suddenly turn translucent, for how could he have survived such a deadly encounter. 

"And then, I woke up." He finished.

This seemed to snap his brother out of his petrified stupor, "How?" He croaked, "How- why-"

"Kreacher," Regulus shrugged, "In my idiocy, I'd forgotten to order him never to return. I told him to leave as soon as he acquired the locket, which he did, but then he immediately came back. Apparated right on top of me, blasted the inferi away and took me back to Grimmauld. Nursed me back to health and everything."

"'In your idiocy' so you really did expect- no, _want_ to die."

"No, I didn't want to, not really. But..." He looked down, "I didn't see the point in denying the inevitable. Besides, at least I would have died doing something noble, isn't that the same reason for you joining Dumbledore's resistance?"

"I- bloody hell Reg I wouldn't be- I'd be fighting, not going on an insane suicide mission."

"Isn't it the same thing?" He asked quietly, sipping from a goblet of pumpkin juice an elf had given him before he began speaking and erected his privacy wards. As much as he trusted the Hogwarts elves, he wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to perhaps send one to eavesdrop on them. His wards were strong however, this he knew. 

"No! Well, maybe, but no! I'd be in a team - a crew, or I'd have a partner! I'd have at least _some_ semblance of a plan, you just- you-" His brother spluttered, "You would have died!" He choked, "Died! Fucking- just gone! And I'd never have- we would-" His brothers shoulders shook and Regulus was momentarily startled. "You w-would be dead if it wasn't for Kreacher's bloody obsession with you and- fuck have I never been more thankful. Remind me to thank the bloody thing- I'll get him a nice little bed for his cupboard or something-"

As his brother continued to ramble, hiccupping on a sob and not even bothering to wipe his eyes, Regulus merely stared. "I- don't cry. I'm okay."

"No! No you're fucking not! Don't bullshit me Reg-" He'd always sworn more, dropping his Black composure and getting decidedly more uncouth as he got worked up, "You were ready to die, I don't give a shit if you didn't want to, you were still going to do it and you- what? Were just going to leave some really important mission with Kreacher? Did you at least leave a message with him to give to me? Would I have just gone on, always wondering but never knowing what happened to my little brother? That's-"

"No." Regulus admitted, "I didn't think you'd want to hear from me."

Sirius laughed hysterically, "Fucking- little shit. Little fucking- _stupid_ bastard." He sobbed, "How dare you? How dare you! I love you, you stupid little twat. I would have- you'd have just _died_ and you didn't even think-" He angrily wiped at his wet cheeks, "I get it, maybe you weren't in the right frame of mind but fucking hell Reg, that's low. That's so _very low."_

"Well excuse me! I'm sorry I didn't think you'd care much! You left me! You left me with _her!_ So, no, I didn't think to write you a letter. Honestly I don't even know what I would've said. There isn't enough parchment in England to describe how I felt! To properly show how sorry I was, how much I regretted our relationship falling apart, how I wish things could have been different." He retorted, blinking away the angry tears burning in his eyes, "I'm sorry I hurt you, even now all I do is- is hurt you I-"

Regulus began to stand, he couldn't be here. He was a bad influence on his brother, Sirius deserved someone that _wouldn't_ only bring him grief and sadness. He had to get away.

"Don't you fucking dare." His brother shrieked, slamming him back into his seat by pressing down on his shoulders, "I already did the running away once, remember? Don't _you_ start now. I'm sorry for that, I don't regret leaving 'cause that bitch was liable to kill me or drive me mental, but I should have asked you to come with me. Or at least- I don't know, I should have told you what I was doing, why I was going."

"You- you just left. She- she locked me in the cupboard for three days 'cause I didn't stop you- I- you were gone! Why did you leave me? Why- was I not-"

Sirius rushed around the side of the table and brought Regulus into a hug. "No, you did nothing wrong. Like I said, it was her. She just- being anywhere near that manipulative old witch brings out something ugly inside of me. She's awful, I didn't realise just how bad she was until I saw how my friends parents were, you know? It isn't normal to torture your children and starve them until they pass out. I couldn't- I couldn't be around her any longer, but I- fuck I'll never forgive myself for leaving you, I'm so sorry little star. Maybe if I hadn't left you'd have- I don't know- trusted me more. Trusted that I still gave a damn."

Regulus sniffled, pressing his face into Sirius' shoulder. "I wish you'd never left. But, I know why you did. I think even if you had asked me to go, I'd probably have said no."

"Doesn't matter, I should have kidnapped you."

Regulus chuckled brokenly, "That would have been interesting."

Sirius shrugged, "Doesn't matter now, you're not going back to Grimmauld."

Regulus jerked back, "What?"

"You heard me." His brother's chin was raised in defiance, "You're going to come with me for the holidays. Screw Walburga. I'll kidnap you for real."

Regulus gaped, jaw bobbing every so often, "You- I can't! I have- Sirius there's-"

His brother's eyes narrowed, "There's more to this than you're telling me."

The younger looked down, shifting slightly. He fiddled with the cuff of his left sleeve, "The reason- when-"

Suddenly their was loud scraping noises at the entrance for the kitchen. Sirius hurriedly threw the cloak over themselves and Regulus dropped the wards. They were just in time as the portrait swung open to reveal a tired looking Ravenclaw and an equally exhausted Hufflepuff prefect, the former clutching a large book to their chest and the latter carrying what looked like a bag of ingredients, likely from Slughorn's cupboard that was open to _select_ students that wished to practice their potion making out of class hours.

Sirius tugged Regulus up, the two slowly shuffling towards the entrance as the newcomers began to complain about studying for Potions taking all night, lamenting the loss of their sleep and it was then that Regulus realised how late it was. It had already been fairly late in the evening when Sirius had first approached him and he knew it was certainly past midnight by that point.

As they exited the kitchen, Sirius pulled them in the direction of an alcove a few corridors away. They weaved through the halls and Sirius ducked inside the alcove, letting the tapestry drop to cover them as Regulus pulled out from under the cloak.

"It's late, we'll continue this tomorrow." Regulus said before Sirius could say anything, "Trust me, you'll want your sleep. I think this evening's been emotional enough and what I have left will- it'll only get worse." He refrained from gripping at his Mark as he watched his brother sigh, tiredly.

"Okay, but you are gonna tell me!" His brother said strongly, "No holding back."

"I know."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Regulus huffed. He frowned as Sirius raised his hand, crooking his pinkie at him. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"Pinkie promise, duh."

Regulus blinked, wondering if he was delirious from exhaustion. "Excuse me?"

"Pinkie promise! You join pinkie's when you promise something and if you break that promise, the other person gets to cut off your pinkie."

"What!" Regulus spluttered, "Why would anyone do such a thing?"

Sirius quirked a brow, "If you don't plan on breaking the promise, there's nothing to worry about." His brother said sagely, gesturing for Regulus to match his stance.

Regulus wrinkled his nose, "Wasn't planning on it." Was all he said as he raised his hand, linking their fingers together. "I promise I'll tell you everything tomorrow."

Sirius seemed slightly amused but nodded seriously, "Good. Now, need me to walk you to your dorms?"

The younger shook his head, "Slughorn is the only teacher around these parts and the entrance is only a little bit from here, which I'm sure you know." He said pointedly, referring to the many times a prank had somehow been pulled on the Slytherin's that could _only_ have been done from inside the common room or the dorms.

His brother grinned wickedly, "Marauders can get in anywhere!" He cheered, "Goodnight Reg, sleep well. Hope you know I love you, you little shit. Even though I'm liable to go grey early 'cause of you."

Regulus only rolled his eyes, gripping at the tapestry. "How impressive. Anyway, goodnight Siri. Don't focus on the bad too much, okay? I know what I did was stupid but trust me, you'll see that it was worth it."

He took a final look at his brother's dubious expression, (nothing, in Sirius' opinion, was worth losing Regulus - to death or otherwise) and slipped out of the alcove. He kept his composure until he reached the dorms, hurriedly whispering the password and sneaking in to his dorm. It was only when he was safely tucked behind his warded curtains that he let himself go, weeping quietly in his hands until he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This was fun to write, I love writing Sirius and Regulus getting emotionally and cuddling as they cry.. ah I love my two damaged boys so much!
> 
> I truly appreciate all the support! You're all amazing! Tell me your thoughts, mwah!
> 
> [Two updates in one day! Damn.]


	11. The Room of Requirement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius thinks, argues with James, threatens a sixth year and speaks with his brother.
> 
> He's a very busy boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Sirius sounds very... intense in this chapter. He is a damaged boy and in canon we see him cling to those he views positively (James, Harry, Remus etc.) and so that's why he's very... possessive, in a way, of Regulus.
> 
> I honestly feel like Sirius would have been the sort of person to angrily glare at anyone who went near James (and may God help anyone who dares to call James their best friend) and probably only (originally) liked Lily because of James' feelings for her. He'd probably have hated having to share his best friend so I imagine with his precious little brother, the feeling would be more intense.
> 
> Should I tag this as a brother complex? It may be more suitable. They certainly aren't in love with each other and I'm not planning to go the incest route - but they're certainly very close.

Sirius had spent most of the night tossing and turning. After learning what he had, the idea of letting Regulus just go off on his own had made him uneasy, so he'd followed, keeping himself hidden as he trailed after his brother back to his common room, waiting until he was safely inside before Sirius made the long trek back to Gryffindor tower.

When he'd gotten back to his dorm, he'd carefully slipped into his bed, drawn his curtains and had merely stared at the top of his canopy. 

He couldn't wrap his head around everything. Regulus had said a lot, to be fair, and it was a lot to take in. He was honestly glad for the reprieve, he had seen Regulus slowly working himself up to something - something that was a lot more difficult to talk about. 

Even more difficult than his near death experience, apparently.

Honestly he wasn't sure he wanted to know exactly what, but he would find out eventually.

In the hours that followed, he'd slept fitfully. Images plagued him, of Regulus screaming for him, begging for help and choking on his own blood as he was savaged by faceless monsters, hand aloft waiting to be pulled to safety by a brother than would never come. He'd ended up waking twice, both times in tears and upon the third time, he hadn't bothered to try and sleep again.

Overall he'd gotten maybe two or three hours sleep, certainly not enough but he didn't care. He was a mess of anxiety, the uncomfortable knot in his gut tightened and his heart would suddenly begin to race as his mind wondered. He was terrified for what Regulus had to say and could only be thankful that it was a weekend. Regulus had a lot to talk about and he'd need as much time as he could to properly grill his little brother.

He hadn't know what to say to the Marauders, it was something he'd planned on thinking about but decided he'd go with in the moment. Hopefully they'd drop it and wouldn't push him for answers.

When he'd first heard Regulus quietly admit that he'd expected to die, that he hadn't planned to survive and it was only due to Kreacher (and honestly, he never thought he'd be so thankful for the little bastard's existence) and his undying devotion to his master that he had lived. 

_(Really,_ Merlin thank that elf. Perhaps he really would get him a present - it'd probably give the thing a heart attack.)

Sirius had been uncomfortable at this revelation. That Kreacher had been there for his brother when he wasn't and he distantly wondered if the jealousy he felt was similar to the way he expected Regulus felt when he spoke of James.

Probably.

If so, he could understand his brother's vehement dislike of James. It may not be entirely healthy, but he could understand it. He certainly wanted to throttle that little beast for being his brother's _best friend_. Again, probably unhealthy. He should also probably stop insulting the person that had saved his brother's life, but it was honestly habit by that point.

He was so used to hating the thing and upon reflection, it was jealousy that had been what sparked his hatred of Kreacher.

Logically, he knew that the poor elf was stuck doing Walburga's bidding - he truly had no option but to obey her every command. So, when Walburga ordered that Kreacher leave Sirius' injuries, that he make sure he didn't leave his room and stopped him from sending any letters to his friends, he knew the elf wasn't _really_ at fault. He knew that.

He really did.

But that didn't stop him from resenting the elf anyway. He knew the elf had found ways around her orders, he'd seen him _accidentally_ leave small scraps for Regulus when Mother refused him food - something he'd actually once quietly thanked the elf for, much to the elf's horror. However, it wasn't until he'd walked in on Regulus and Kreacher playing a game of chess together that he'd first felt it. When Regulus had won, cheering happily, he had thrown his arms around the elf and called him his best friend.

It had sparked an ugly emotion in young Sirius, _he_ was his brother's best friend.

He'd been terribly angry and thinking back to that day, he remembered how Regulus had then immediately brightened when he'd noticed Sirius' presence. He could recall the victorious glee that had sparked in him when his brother had turned away from Kreacher and excitedly chattered about his win, d _id you see that move Siri!_ he'd cried and Sirius had glared at Kreacher over the top of his brother's head, dismissing him entirely.

After that, he'd slowly begun to (shamefully now that he though about it) look down on Kreacher and had begun treating him much like Mother had.

It was one of the things she seemed to approve of. His utter contempt for the elf and his disapproval at Regulus' kindness towards the thing had seemed to give her hope that he was more like her in her beliefs than he really was.

He remembers when they first found the kitchens, roughly halfway through first year, and James had been appalled at his treatment of the elves. He'd turned his nose up at the chattering beings and had said they were only used for service anyway, so why did it matter than he hadn't thanked them and had only brusquely ordered them around?

Remus had grown a backbone, as he randomly used to do until he seemed to properly get his footing within the group, and had smacked him around the back of the head. Pointing out that the way he was acting was similar to the way purebloods looked down on muggleborns and _are you proud of that, Sirius_? He'd then immediately gone slightly red, retreating slightly back into his shell and he'd been quiet for the rest of the excursion. James had gone on to talk about his house-elf and how happy she was and the disappointment in his voice had made him uncomfortable.

He knew it wasn't right and he certainly wasn't as bad as some, his cousin Bellatrix regularly made a spectacle out of torturing her elf and he knew the Malfoy's were just as bad. But he knew he could be better. But every time he saw Kreacher specifically he felt that angry jealousy course through him, maybe it was time he properly matured and let that go.

After all, the elf _had_ saved Regulus' life. Perhaps they could be civil, for Regulus' sake if nothing else. He also wanted to impress Regulus with his maturity, when his brother had adamantly insisted that he should have been Head Boy, he'd been stupefied.

He hadn't _ever_ thought it a possibility but then again, when they'd all seen James' badge they'd all felt the same. 

Everyone knew Remus should have gotten it, but his frequent bouts of illness would cause too much of a distraction to properly fulfil his duties. Head Boy is a surprisingly demanding role, something James often complained about, so he wouldn't be able to do it. But maybe... if Regulus truly believed in him, he could have taken up the mantle.

He couldn't imagine how the younger him would have reacted, he'd probably have thought it was a joke.

Besides, Sirius planned to join the Auror academy, so he would have had to grow up eventually. Maybe the extra responsibility would have prepared him for such a role.

Sirius also wanted Regulus to be able to _trust_ in him, something he would have to prove today. The fact that his brother hadn't even planned on leaving a note broke his heart. He couldn't imagine the pain he would have been in, not ever knowing what happened to his beloved baby brother, one minute there and gone the next. 

It would have destroyed him. Especially considering just how _young_ Regulus was.

No, he had to prove he was _worth_ the title of Regulus' brother, he had to prove he was worth such an honour. He knew it would be hard and he'd been thrown slightly when Regulus mentioned the war, but he would do it. To restore his brother's faith in him, he'd do anything.

"Mate? You good?" Peter's voice jerked him from his thoughts. He turned and noticed Peter standing by his bed, shuffling awkwardly. For a moment he remembered Regulus' words, his dislike of Peter's meekness and he banished the thought - he'd think about what he could have truly meant later.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine Wormtail." He muttered, sliding on his shoes. He hadn't bothered to change when he came back to his dorm but luckily he was proficient in freshening charms, he was a teenaged boy that had a tendency to smell, after all.

Remus came in from the bathroom, holding a towel and his hair was slightly damp. His clothes were as impeccable as they always were but there was a distinct shabbiness that some of the nastier students turned their noses at, "You got in late last night, I tried to stay up at wait for you-"

"We all did." James' breathless voice came from the doorway he'd just tumbled through, "Sorry, Evans wanted to discuss something about changing rounds pairings, apparently one of the Hufflepuff prefects has an issue with a Gryffindor in their year - something about some girl they both like."

Sirius snorted and Remus groaned, "That'll be Smith and Richards, they're a nightmare. They're both obsessed with Yvette Jacobs."

James nodded, "Yeah, apparently they got into it the other day. So we're gonna have to rework the rounds patterns, Evans is thinking of pairing Richards with-" He paused suddenly, shooting a look at Sirius, "Uh-"

Sirius blinked, "Reggie?"

His friend nodded warily, "Uh- yeah. Richards with Black and Smith with Branning, but uh-" He made a face, "Richards refused. Said he wouldn't work with 'back stabbing scum' and that a 'slimy Death Eater' was no better."

Remus winced, looking at Sirius and Peter took a hurried step back when Sirius shot to his feet, "Reggie-" He started hotly only to get cut off by James.

"I know mate, I know. But he's making a right fuss. It's a good thing Smith is a Hufflepuff, he said he'd work with Black no problem. McGonagall got so annoyed she took a bunch of points - sucks for us."

Sirius glared at the door. He'd love to go show that little prick a thing or two. 

"So..." Peter started warily, looking at the others for backup.

"Ah. How did last night go? You were gone for a while so I'm assuming... you spoke?" Remus asked cautiously, flickering his eyes over his face to try an gauge his reaction.

James looked from Remus to Sirius with wide eyes, "Really? Finally, bloody hell."

Sirius rolled his eyes but couldn't hold back the pleased smile at the memory of he and his brother in the hospital wing, playing their little game and watching his brother's eyes light up when he told him he loved him. "Yeah, we spoke."

Remus looked so relieved he almost started laughing at the boy, "Bloody hell. James is right, _finally._ I was worried you'd blow up like you did last time." Sirius winced at that. When Regulus had been put in the hospital wing at the final Quidditch game of the previous year, he'd been so wound up he'd lost it when Remus suggested he actually talk to him instead of just creepily watching him from under the cloak. It hadn't been as bad as his blowout with James, that was practically Marauder Legend at this point, but he'd gotten so angry he'd slept in the common room.

"Sorry 'bout that. But, yes, we did speak. Finally." He laughed breathlessly, "Fucking finally." Sirius looked down at his feet, "I- I mean there was some bad parts, obviously. And he told me about how he got injured-"

"He told you why he fainted? I assumed he was just unwell." Remus frowned.

Sirius refrained from mirroring the look. Technically, no, Regulus hadn't explained why he'd fainted. "No, he told me about the scars. Y'know on his neck and that."

Peter shuddered, "It looks like a werewolf scratch!" He said, darting his eyes towards Remus warily.

Remus kept the thoughtful frown on his face, "It does, sort of. It certainly doesn't look like a cursed item injury, if I didn't know any better I'd assume a Dark creature had given it to him. But it's highly unlikely he'd have come into contact with one."

Sirius laughed shakily, awkwardly looking away. "Yeah, well, we talked about that. Oh! And we both cried like little babies, so there's that. Both apologised for a lot and we're meeting up again today - got lot's more to discuss." He shrugged.

"Again? Really?" James huffed, "I need my star Beater for practice!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I could _never_ practice and I'd still be able to whack a Bludger at that prick Rosier." He sneered, "Can't miss his fat head."

Sirius suspected there was more to it than that, anyway. He could see it. James may want Sirius to be happy, but he was very firm in his convictions that Sirius was his best friend and he seemed to believe that Regulus' presence in Sirius' life could threaten that. 

He honestly wasn't sure how things would go from there. He had once played a game with some of the older Gryffindors where they'd been forced to choose between different possibilities. For example, should there be a need, would you save your mother or your father or something along those lines. He himself had been forced to choose between marrying an acromantula or a troll. He'd picked the troll - at least it was somewhat like a human. 

He'd remembered the pain on some of his Housemates faces, the possibility of choosing between their parents seemed _impossible._ He'd happily said his father, Walburga could drop dead for all he cared. James particularly had seemed mystified by the question, unable to ever give a proper answer. Understandable, Fleamont and Euphemia were bloody brilliant.

Sirius could also recall one of the upper years asking Evans if she'd choose her older sister Petunia or her best friend, Alice. Evans had gotten very upset by the question and had dissolved into tears when she'd admitted Petunia hated her anyway so it wouldn't matter if she _did_ choose to save her. Alice had taken her upstairs, presumably consoling her for the rest of the night.

He could remember an odd look on James' face, the same look he was wearing now, a question he both did and didn't want an answer to lingering in his eyes.

Sirius hadn't been able to think on it and he didn't want to now. Choosing between James and Regulus wasn't something he could do, though maybe that was because he honestly already knew the answer. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

"Anyway, we've got to talk. There's some really important things I need to say - and I assume he feels the same."

Remus smiled at him, seeming very proud and he felt slightly flustered. Remus had always quietly disapproved of many of the Marauders actions and so to see him openly proud of something Sirius had done always made him feel slightly accomplished. "Good, I'm happy for you Padfoot. You'll both be better off after you've gotten everything out in the open, I'm sure."

"Yeah!" He beamed, "And then we'll be - you know, brothers." He felt giddy at the prospect and couldn't help but wriggle slightly in his excitement, "I love the little twat and I felt rotten leaving him. I've already decided he's coming to live with me after graduation, don't care what he says." He said firmly.

James startled violently, "Huh? What?"

"What?"

"You- what? I thought you were gonna stay with me- with us?" 

Sirius blinked, "I- mate I can't stay with you and your parents forever. I have to be independent at some point." He laughed unsurely, looking at the others for reassurance. Remus nodded understandingly and Peter was only looking between them with wide eyes.

"But- I mean. Well, I guess that's alright, he graduates in like two years so-"

Sirius cut him off, "No, mate. I'm gonna be looking for somewhere to live over Christmas. I want to have a place by the time I graduate, Uncle Alphard's sent me some money for the deposit, so it's all good."

James gaped at him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shifted again, looking guilty, "I- well- you and your family have done so much for me, you know? Letting me stay over the summer on such short notice, and-" He cleared his throat, "I just don't want to be living off of your parents good will."

James looked mutinous, "If this is about not feeling welcome-"

"No!" Sirius held his hands out with wide eyes, "I know it's not that. Your parents have been more than welcoming, Euphie gave me the private floo address! That's only given to family! So- no, it's not that. I know I'm welcome, but I want to do this for myself. I've always planned to get a place of my own - mainly to get away from Walburga - but now I want a place for me, and Reg of course."

An angry flush was creeping up James neck. He looked at the others for support and Peter only winced, backing away slightly and Remus looked at them both unsurely. "So this is about him?"

Sirius blinked again, "No? It's about me wanting to do something for myself."

"Didn't you say you wanted us to all live together? All the Marauders?" Peter added quietly and Sirius wanted to punch him. 

James nodded enthusiastically, pointing at Peter, "Yes! See! He gets it!"

"What? Didn't we all agree that'd be a disaster?" Sirius huffed, "Besides, if I recall, you were the one that said you wouldn't be able to leave your parents so early, isn't your mum sick?" He asked, directly glaring at Peter who flushed.

"Well- yeah."

Remus carefully stepped forward, "Lads let's calm down."

"No! You were happy this summer, with us, and now suddenly you and- and _him_ want to move in together? As if I- as if we haven't been here for you for years? Suddenly you're just gonna throw us away for that nasty, ungrateful little snake?" He seethed. Peter squeaked as Sirius went to take an angry step forward, only to be pushed back by Remus.

"James, stop. You're angry-"

"Damn right, I'm angry! Don't tell me to be quiet Remus, are you saying you're okay with this?"

Remus glared at him, "Actually I don't have a problem with this at all. Regulus is Sirius' brother so of course he'd want him to live with him instead of being stuck at that place, you've heard what Sirius has said about it."

"I-" James faltered because for all he could be pig-headed, he knew how bad Walburga Black was from Sirius, "I'm not saying he should send him back there, but-"

Remus turned to Sirius, "Why don't you go and see your brother? I think James and I need to have a talk." He said sternly, pushing Sirius in the direction of the door. "Pete, can you go down to the kitchens and get some food for us? We'll be skipping breakfast."

Sirius grunted, avoiding looking at James. He brusquely left the dorms, still inwardly seething.

As he got to the top of the stairs, he noticed Richards, the Gryffindor prefect in Regulus' year and Evans. Both were quietly arguing by the portrait and he swiftly walked over to the two. As he approached, Evans turned to him and he noticed her flick her gaze to the dorms, she knew that James had told him.

Richard turned to him too, seemingly much less eager to argue with whatever Evans had been saying.

"Don't call him a Death Eater again or you'll regret it." Is all he hissed in the boys ear, inwardly smirking as he flinched violently away from him, before he turned swiftly and walked through the portrait. He could vaguely hear Evans disapproving comments and was thankful when the portrait slammed shut. He liked her enough, but bloody hell did she have a set of lungs.

Sirius made his way down to the Great Hall with his mind in overdrive. He had expected today to be difficult, immediately hearing that some little twat had said bad things about his brother had set him on edge enough, especially with the upcoming talk he had planned with Regulus. But he hadn't accounted for the little spat between him and James.

He didn't understand why James had gotten upset. He had known the moment he stepped foot in Potter Manor over the summer that he wouldn't be staying forever. He'd been determined to prove Mother wrong, to prove that he could do things alone and that he didn't need to rely on the charity of others as she'd said he would.

He had written to Alphard shortly before returning to Hogwarts and they'd met up in a nice restaurant in Diagon Alley. There, his uncle had told him he'd be more than willing to give him enough money to cover the deposit for a flat and would even give him enough money to buy and not just rent.

Sirius had tried to refuse, recounting Mother's words and how he was determined to show her she was wrong, but Alphard had been obstinate. He had informed him this could be seen as a loan, one that Sirius could begin to repay when he had graduated and was in full time work. His uncle had seemed strangely amused by this, laughing when Sirius had asked if they should have a contract drawn up. Either way, he was eternally grateful to his uncle and planned to tell him that he would be looking for a place for he and Regulus to live in.

Because, there was no way his brother was going back to Grimmauld alone.

 _No way_.

On his way to the Great Hall, he was suddenly yanked roughly into an alcove by the main stairs. He immediately drew his wand and held the point against his assailants throat.

"It's me, idiot." 

Sirius relaxed, "I could have cursed you!"

"Well you didn't." Regulus sniffed haughtily, "I'd say you're getting slow. You should work on that."

Sirius scowled, "I'm certainly not slow. Call it big brother intuition but if you'd have been anyone else I'd have hexed first and asked questions later."

"You wouldn't even bother with the questions," His brother rolled his eyes and Sirius had to refrain from smiling again. He couldn't help it, he'd missed the snarky little bastard. "Why are you going to the Great Hall?"

"Why are you hiding in alcoves and attacking random innocents?" He countered.

"You're anything but innocent," His brother's nose wrinkled delicately, "If the rumours are to be believed." Sirius grinned wolfishly and Regulus made a mortified noise, "Don't say a word. Anyway, come with me. I've already gotten Tippy to prepare us some food. We'll eat in the Room of Requirement." 

Sirius blinked, "Who's- oh. House elf, yeah. And what's the Room of- what'd you call it?"

Regulus seemed thrilled, throwing his head back and laughing brightly. He grabbed his brother by the arm and smirked, "Oh? Do _I_ happen to know something about the castle that _the_ Sirius Orion Black, infamous _Marauder,_ does not?"

He glared at his brother darkly, how dare he question his credentials as a Marauder. "You're bullshitting me."

Regulus giggled, "Do you have the cloak? Most people are at breakfast but-"

Sirius inwardly grimaced. He didn't and it wasn't like he could ask James for it now, he'd sooner hex him just out of spite. "Uh, no. We'll have to risk it. Or we could use disillusionment charms."

"That's fine, just hold on to me and I'll guide you."

Sirius and Regulus both raised their wands, feeling the slimy texture of the disillusionment charm roll down their bodies from the top of their heads to the tips of their toes. Sirius shuddered, he hated that feeling. He grasped around blindly for a moment before he saw the soft blur clutching his hand. Regulus was always good at Charms, it was his best wand subject and Sirius was certainly one of the top students in his year. Both of them were able to cast the charm strong enough to make them mostly invisible, only a strange distortion around the edges gave their presence away.

Regulus carefully tugged him out of the alcove and into the hallway. They made their way down the corridor and immediately up the main stairs. His brother was careful to avoid the trick steps, pausing every so often as Sirius did the same. He took his time to gently lead Sirius through the various halls and Sirius wondered at where they were going. They seemed to be going distinctly upwards, meaning wherever it was was roughly towards the top of the castle.

When Regulus had mentioned a Room of Requirement, he'd instantly wanted to check the map to see if it was something he may possibly know about. From what he could remember, no such room existed. As they neared the seventh floor, Sirius began to feel distinctly disheartened.

"Uh, Reg, not to call you a liar but-" He whispered, "There's nothing up here."

They stopped in front of an ugly tapestry of trolls doing ballet and Sirius looked around. Regulus suddenly appeared before him, gesturing for him to drop the charm as well. He and his brother stared at each other for a moment before Regulus grinned.

"Uh, Reg..." He trailed off, looking around purposefully. 

Regulus only continued to smile, slowly backing away and closing his eyes. He walked quickly to one side and then turned, swiftly walking in the other direction. Just as Sirius began to wonder if his little brother had inherited more of the Black family madness than he'd assumed, the previously blank wall opposite the tapestry began to change.

It was as if someone had spilled ink on the centre, a trail of black suddenly appeared, curving exquisitely to reveal a very familiar door. Regulus grabbed his arm and swung the door open, pulling them in to what looked almost exactly like Sirius' old bedroom.

Sirius gaped. "Are we- what? Did- are we in Grimmauld?" He whispered harshly, turning back to the door as if expecting Walburga Black to appear in all her fury, wand raised and a hex on her tongue.

"No," Regulus snorted, a very odd action on the usually so uptight boy, "This, is the Room of Requirement. I asked for your bedroom to appear, my safe space, in a way."

Sirius looked around in awe, every little detail was there. The Black family crest hung proudly over the large bed, previously charmed red sheets and walls an exact match to the ones he knew were in his old bedroom, were oddly green, like they'd been before he went to Hogwarts. Besides this oddity, the room was identical. There was even a slight scuff on the lower corner of the ornate desk by the window, something Sirius had done when he'd kicked it in anger as a child when he'd found his brother passed out after being denied food too long. Mother had sent him to his room and refused him access to Regulus for the rest of the weekend.

"This- this is amazing. How did you find this place?"

Regulus shrugged delicately, shoulders barely lifting, "The house-elves are useful for more than just cleaning and cooking your meals, Sirius. They were all too eager to offer me a place to clear my head, the library can be overwhelming sometimes." He mumbled thoughtfully, climbing onto the bed and settling in the centre.

For Sirius, the action was far too familiar. It had been a while, certainly, but the image of Regulus in the centre of his bed, looking up at him while he wondered around nosily was almost painfully reminiscent of their childhood. Sirius used to stand at the end of the bed, pacing the room and gesturing grandly as he wove tales of slaying the awful dragon Walburga and freeing the citizens from her tyranny. Regulus had always giggled, casting anxious looks around the room to make sure Walburga wouldn't hear before he dissolved into laughter.

He used to love putting on a show for his brother. Grinning as his little face would light up and his eyes would follow him eagerly, desperate to hear more.

"This is your safe place?"

Regulus went slightly pink in the cheeks, "She- yes. It is. Almost all of my good memories..." He trailed off, looking around the room. Sirius suddenly understood why the room showed green and silver accents instead of red and gold. After his sorting, he and Regulus had barely spent time in his room, but before that, they'd spent almost their whole childhood in his bedroom. He'd even started closing his door after he'd returned from Hogwarts in first year, something he'd never done in case Regulus had a nightmare or just wanted his company.

He wondered how his brother must have felt when he first went to his room and noticed it was shut.

"I-" Sirius blinked away the tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry-"

"No, bloody hell Sirius stop apologising. We did enough of that yesterday. We have to- I didn't say that to upset you or make you feel guilty. It's just how it is."

Sirius nodded, eyes still stinging. "I know. But I can't help it, I feel-"

"I know. I do too."

They both observed each other quietly. At that moment, a house-elf popped into the room carrying a basket.

"Tippy brings it!" The elf declared, proudly raising the basket above her head. 

Regulus beamed, jumping off the bed and crouching in front of the elf. He carefully took the basket and placed it on the plush, velvet ottoman at the end of the bed. He turned to the small elf and smiled softly, "Thank you very much, Tippy. I'm sure we'll eat it all and be asking for seconds soon!"

The elf's ears wriggled in pleasure, big eyes widening further, "Oh, little Master is so kind."

Sirius tried to emulate his brother's praise, "I'm sure it'll be great. I can see a beautiful bacon roll that's practically calling to me." He eyed the inside of the basket and the elf seemed to shriek slightly.

"Oh! Yes, little Master said his brother be here. Tippy be making sure you only be getting youse favourites!"

Sirius smiled appreciatively, he'd gathered that already. He could see the bacon roll that was definitely for him and a cream cheese bagel that he knew was definitely for Regulus. There was some sliced meats, cheeses and fruits as well as some hard boiled eggs and he grinned at the stuffed olives in a small container. Regulus detested them, calling them a despicable imitation of fruit. Sirius would usually then make a point to stuff a few in his mouth and chew noisily just to irritate him. It was vaguely reminiscent of last nights little feast, except this was more suited for breakfast or early lunch.

"Thank you, Tippy." Sirius said, fishing out the roll and a small plate to put it on. "You've done very well."

Regulus seemed surprised at his treatment of the elf and he vowed to be better in the future. "Yes, you have. You've done beautifully, Tippy. Please give my compliments to the others. I know how hard you all work."

Tippy trembled in her delight, "Oh such good little Masters. Tippy does not deserve such kindness. Tippy must get back to work. Nasty creature in broom cupboard, Tippy knows. Tippy be going now." The elf said, popping away and Regulus sighed.

"Boggarts. They always turn into an item of clothing being presented to them from Dumbledore."

Sirius looked at him, "You've seen them tackle one?"

"No," He hummed, fishing in the basket for his bagel. "I spend a lot of time with them." Was all he said as he took a bite. Sirius had wondered about that all night, he'd seen the warm welcome his brother had gotten and he wondered just how long he actually spent hiding out in the kitchens.

"Oh."

The two ate quietly for a moment before Regulus cleared his throat, "Did you sleep well?"

"No." He admitted. Regulus seemed shocked at his easy confession and he shrugged, "Honesty, remember?"

Regulus sighed, nodding, "Me too. I had a lot on my mind I guess."

Sirius snorted, "Trust me, I get it. Then I wake up and immediately get in a nice little spat with James and have to deal with that annoying little shit Richards."

"Richards?" Regulus tilted his head, "Oh, yeah, Slughorn told me I'd be working with him for my rounds but then he came back just as I was leaving the common room and said I was with Smith instead."

Sirius grunted, he wouldn't tell Regulus what had been said, it would only upset him.

Regulus frowned seeming to go along with it, "You and Potter argued?"

He grunted again but decided he'd answer. "Yeah, it was stupid. Don't know why he got so upset."

His brother shifted, picking at the plate in front of him cautiously. "Is.. was it about me?"

Sirius looked at his earnest expression and groaned, throwing a stem from a grape he'd eaten on the floor. "Sort of, more like James is throwing a fit over something else but he's using you as an excuse. He's all," He waved his hand, "Just because I said I'd be moving out soon, then I mentioned you'd be with me-"

"I never agreed to that."

Sirius rolled his eyes at his interjection, "And I distinctly remember telling you that I'd kidnap you. I'll rip you right out of Walburga's arms, I don't care."

Regulus bit his lip, "I- Sirius-"

"No. You're coming with me, end of story. Uncle Alphard's given me money for a flat and you'll be house hunting _with_ me. No excuses."

His brother stared at the bed he was sitting on. Sirius felt it was amusing that Regulus seemed more at home in his bedroom than he did himself. He was leaning against the headboard as his chin jutted out defiantly. Sirius looked at him from his seat on the end of the bed, leaning against the bed post as he watched his brother think.

"Why are you so adamant on this?"

"Why are you so against it?" He retorted.

Regulus frowned, "I hate when you do that."

"I hate when you don't answer my questions."

"You're the one-" He spluttered, looking angry before he slumped against the headboard in defeat. "Fine. I'm not against it, I'd- I'd love to be away from-" He cut himself off, looking at the window. 

"That awful hag."

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Must you always insult her?" He asked pointlessly as they both knew he always would, "I just, I don't think it's possible."

"Why not?" He asked, immediately listing off reasons. "If it's about Walburga or the Ministry then that won't matter, you'll be living with a blood relative and as your birthday will be a few weeks after summer begins, they won't bother trying to take it the legal route. It'd take too long and by the time - even with their bribery - that the paperwork went through, you'd be of age. They'd have no say in where you live."

Regulus looked at him sadly, "That's true." But his voice was still mournful.

"So then what is it? Is it- is it the whole Death Eater thing?"

His brother startled, staring at him with frightened eyes. "What?"

He frowned, "They're trying to recruit you, I know that. But it doesn't matter you-"

His brother had previously slumped in relief before angrily straightening. He tore his sleeve up roughly and showed off a black design on his left forearm that Sirius was sadly familiar with.

The Dark Mark.

The same Mark that Bellatrix had proudly shown off a few years previously. She'd practically worshipped the ugly taint on her skin, reverently tracing it and he'd caught her kissing the skin when she'd gone to powder her nose. Bella had grinned at him, expressing her glee that soon the whole family would be Marked soon and then snarled when he'd told her he'd never be branded a slave to that madman. She'd been so angry at his insult she'd been ready to hex him and only Narcissa's interruption had stopped her.

He stared. He looked at the disgusting stain on his brother's skin and watched as it seemed to pulse with a malicious intent, as if responding to his disgust. He absentmindedly noted the scars around the mark, almost like the inferi had purposefully avoided tearing into the brand.

He slowly raised his eyes to meet Regulus' and saw him trembling slightly. His jaw was set firmly as if expecting something awful but the fear in his eyes and the rapid blinking away of tears revealed his true worry.

"Explain."

Regulus shuddered, "When you left, Mother- she- she needed to restore everyone's faith in her. She needed to prove that she hadn't failed in her duties, that although she may have lost one son, she still had one more. She... made it very clear that if I refused... well, she would not be so kind as to let me simply run away."

Sirius snarled, "She sold you to him. She sold you to that fucking monster."

Regulus looked startled, "You- aren't you angry?"

"With her? Obviously. With you? No, I'm upset, definitely, I'm fucking _fuming_ actually. But I can't blame you. I know exactly what she's like, she probably held you at wand point." He said, quirking a brow and sneering when Regulus grimaced, responding with a shameful nod. "I _despise_ that witch."

His brother looked wary still, "You..."

"If you think this would make me turn my back then it's my turn to be upset. You really think so little of me?"

"No! But, I mean, it's the Dark Mark! Voldemort's Mark! It- I'm a Death Eater!"

"Not a very good one." He snorted, "Considering everything you've done, I'm certain he'd happily accept your resignation."

Regulus stared at him, "How are you able to make jokes about this." He whispered hoarsely.

Sirius shrugged, "Oh don't worry, I'm furious. I'm utterly infuriated right now, but, might as well make light of it. Have you got a plan to remove it?"

Regulus gaped, "It-" He swallowed, "I've thought about it. But it's- the Mark is sentient in some ways. Not enough to have a mind of it's own or anything, it can't hear us nor can it report anything we're saying." He assured as Sirius geared up to ask about those being very real possibilities. "But it's connected to the Dark Lord himself. Voldemort can use the magic in the Mark, in all the Marks of his followers in fact, to summon them to him. And some, like Bella, are highly ranked enough that they can similarly call _Him_ to _them."_

"You mean Bella could just call Voldemort to her anytime she wants?" He shrieked, "Bloody hell, Rodolphus better watch out, he'll be in her bed soon enough."

Regulus gagged, "You're disgusting."

"I've seen her kissing her bloody Mark! She probably salivates at the sight of Him!"

His brother rolled his eyes, "Shut up. As I was saying, I don't know what would happen if he sensed me removing it. As of now, I'm still supposed to be loyal, and before you say anything, I need to _appear_ loyal until at least the holidays. I have something I need to do."

Sirius looked warily at him, "What, exactly? Any more ridiculous missions? Perhaps an excavation to a mountain guarded by giants and trolls? Maybe a foray into an Acromantula colony? No, wait, maybe you'll be having a nice chat with some Nundus." Sirius added snidely. 

Regulus looked distinctly unimpressed, lip curling as he stared him down. "No, actually, a nice little robbery of Black Manor." He snarked.

Sirius' eyes widened and he swallowed thickly. "I'd rather take the Nundu."

"Yeah, me too." He sighed, "I need a book in the library though. It's the _only_ place I can get it and I need to gain access to the information it holds."

Sirius tilted his head, "What book?"

Regulus sighed, folding his hands and tucking his feet under himself. He turned to Sirius with a more serious expression than he'd ever seen on his little brother's face. He stared at Sirius for a moment before saying,

"What do you know about Horcruxes?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the beginning note, Sirius is quite intense in this chapter in his feelings towards Regulus. I'm sorry if that makes anyone uncomfortable - but it's how I've written him at this stage. He will be loosening up once he and Regulus are properly secure in their relationship as brothers, but for now when he's only just gotten his brother back, he's feeling a lot of things.
> 
> Especially with Regulus' revelations, he's terribly worried and so all of his protective instincts are heightened. I'd also like to imagine ones animagus form influences them (See; how Peter became more rat like after 12 years as a rat or how Sirius' laugh began to take on a bark like quality)
> 
> Because of this, I've always wondered how it would be to see an angry older brother with an inner Grim-like dog (a pack animal that is fiercely loyal and protective) would be.
> 
> Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed, please tell me your thoughts! I am so nervous for this one..


	12. The Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus and Sirius finally get everything out there and Regulus is a very clever boy.
> 
> He's also surprisingly petty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to make it clear from the last chapter that I love James Potter very much and he WILL get better. Canonically he only started to mature in his seventh (this) year and it was upon graduating and joining the order that he finally came into his own.
> 
> So, yes, I do think he would have been jealous and upset over Sirius 'abandoning' him and the Marauders for Regulus. But don't worry! I love James far too much to ever truly bash him (honestly, after Regulus and Sirius he's my favourite character!) but I need him to develop in a realistic way!
> 
> Remus on the other hand has always been more mature and less ill-tempered and Peter wouldn't be the type to throw a fit or argue with Sirius Black of all people, so it must be James! Besides, arguments generally help to make a friendship stronger and Sirius and James have a very strong and important bond.
> 
> Onward with the chapter!

Regulus watched Sirius blink confusedly at the unfamiliar term and for once Regulus didn't feel the urge to gloat that he knew something his brother didn't. He felt the contents of his stomach churn just thinking about the foul magics involved and cursed inwardly that his brother would be losing more of his innocence. It was odd, although Sirius was older and more outwardly protective, Regulus couldn't help but want to shield him too.

The almost two years between them didn't matter. He'd always been more mature than Sirius. Much more introspective and thoughtful in his actions where Sirius was more wild and unrestrained. His brother was always throwing himself in front of Regulus, acting like a human shield to protect him. Regulus wanted to return the favour and it was due to this wish that he'd been adamant on going to the cave alone. But he knew it was time, he had to tell Sirius and only hope he didn't take it too badly.

It was often difficult to predict Sirius. He was a wild card on a good day. He'd expected immediate anger, to be insulted and scolded, to be ridiculed for his poor decision in allowing Walburga's wishes that he take the Dark Mark to be fulfilled. However, his brother had surprised him. He had only held ire for Walburga and had been more concerned in finding a way to remove the Mark.

So, he didn't quite know what to expect when he inevitably mentioned the Horcrux and the fact that it was in his trunk, inside the school.

"Huh?"

"Horcruxes."

"You've lost me."

Regulus sighed, "A Horcrux is... it's a container for the soul. If a wizard mutilates their soul and performs a Dark ritual, they can hide a piece of their soul within an object. The object then acts as a tether of sorts, binding the wizard to the mortal plane. It means that even if a wizard's body is completely destroyed, their soul still lives on. To have a Horcrux, essentially, makes you immortal."

Sirius had gone pale when he mentioned the butchering of one's very soul. Not that he blamed him, it was something that had caused him to recoil upon learning of the subject, too. It was how he knew Voldemort had to be stopped, to tear your own soul - willingly - was utterly disgusting.

"Voldemort... he has a Horcrux doesn't he?" Sirius said gravely before his eyes widened as he yelped. "The locket! You think the locket is a- a Horcrux! That's why you stole it!"

"I didn't think, I knew." Regulus retorted, "And any doubt I may have had was destroyed when I first touched the thing. It's-" He shuddered, "Just being around it is repulsive. It's toxic, it influences you in ways you can't even imagine."

Sirius grimaced, "So you- you stole a Horcrux. Fucking hell, little one, you stole a Dark Lord's soul! Go on, little brother!" He cheered. "That's hardcore!"

Regulus stared at him in shock, "You-"

"Have never been so bloody proud! C'mere you little-" He wrapped his arms around Regulus, ruffling his hair and digging his knuckles into the top of his head. "Who knew you were such a little rebel, huh? My little brother, defender of house-elves and looter of Horcruxes!"

The immense pride in Sirius' voice warmed his cheeks, "Yeah?"

"Hell yeah! That's boss!"

Regulus wasn't quite sure what 'boss' meant but it seemed to be a good thing. He flushed slightly as his brother grinned at him. "Do you understand now? Why I had to go to the- to that place?"

Sirius looked contrite but nodded. "I still think you should have taken me with you, I'd have lit those inferi up!" He brandished his wand and twirled it around, "An Incendio here, a little bit of Fiendfyre there-"

"Sirius!"

"What? I think it would have been justified." He shrugged carelessly, "Anyway. So. The Dark Wanker has nasty soul bits floating around-"

Regulus shook his head, "Just the one."

His brother cocked his head, "You sure?"

Regulus frowned, looking down at his hands. "Making one is madness, making two-"

"Would make sense, if you're a Dark Lord that is. I mean, think about it," His brother stood. Gesturing slightly with his wand as he paced by the bed, "If you're a Dark Lord intent on immortality, so much so that you'll happily cut a part of your soul off, why _would_ you only stop at one?" Before Regulus could even open his mouth, Sirius continued. "Like, think about it. He obviously doesn't care about the potential repercussions, he's a Dark Lord after all. He's already insane, what's a little more madness? If you ask me, him having only one seems very unlikely. It's poor planning, if anything."

"Poor planning?" Regulus muttered. 

"Yes, poor planning. What would he do if someone, perhaps a very smart little boy that is in love with his elf-"

"Excuse you!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist." Sirius winked, "Anyway. If someone comes along and destroys it, he's mortal again, right? Why put all your eggs in one basket? No matter how well protected it may be, it just doesn't seem like something he'd do. He'd want to make sure he had a backup, probably even a backup for his backup! Hell, maybe even a backup for his backup for-"

"I get it, Siri." He said tiredly. He hadn't thought of the possibility that there could be more than the one Horcrux. Well, he had, for a brief second he'd considered it. But it just seemed so far-fetched. "But, to mutilate ones soul... multiple times..."

"I know." He grimaced, "It's vile. And I can see why just the one made you so wary, but, clearly big brother knows some things! So, what do you say to teaming up and bringing down old Voldie?"

Regulus blinked, "You want to take down a Dark Lord? Just like that?"

"Well, I've wanted to take him down for a while, obviously. But, you know, this is something different. It's one thing to go after his lackeys and perhaps try and go after him, but to actually make him mortal? To weaken him in such a way? Of course I want in! Plus, someone's got to stop you from doing something stupid, you obviously can't be trusted to take care of yourself."

"It'll be dangerous. More so than if you were just an Auror fighting against him, if he found out that we even suspected he had a Horcrux-"

"I know. And I'm still in. No matter what."

"Thank you." Is all he said, quietly trying to convey his gratitude.

Sirius only smiled, that same fond look in his eye as he dropped down beside him on the bed. "Don't worry about it. Oh! One good thing though, at least Voldemort doesn't know you stole the locket. That'd be difficult, otherwise."

Regulus grimaced, "Uh, well, he may not know now... but when he goes to the cave-"

Sirius waved him off, "So he'll see the lockets gone, and? He won't immediately know it's you. Mother taught us both occlumency, if he did ask, you could always lie."

Regulus shook his head, "No, uh, I left a replacement." He cleared his throat, "And a note. A signed note."

Sirius turned to him in shock, "You-"

"Yeah. Uh, I believe it was something along the lines of; 'I've stolen the real Horcrux, have this fake, hope you die, lots of love from Regulus'. He'll definitely know it was me."

Sirius choked, a boisterous laugh escaping him. He threw his head back and clapped his hands together, barely refraining from falling off of the bed. "You- you said-" He shrieked, tears in his eyes as he continued to chuckle. "You basically said go-fuck-yourself to a Dark Lord! I- and here I thought you couldn't impress me any more! That's amazing! I've never been so proud!"

Regulus chuckled, a hysterical tint to his voice, "It was a bit much, wasn't it? But I couldn't resist..."

Sirius only laughed harder, "Go little lion! See! A true Gryffindor - a true Lionheart! Just as I said!"

Regulus' smile turned a little snarkier though inwardly he was ecstatic. "I don't know about that, I'm far too intelligent for Gryffindor, I think."

"Hey!"

They continued talking. Voices hushed as they lay side-by-side, staring up at the ceiling. They'd slowly began to open up on other topics. Speaking of everything from what happened when Sirius arrived at the Potters, to how Mother had reacted when she'd realised he'd left. They'd then spoken on Regulus' initiation and how terrified he'd been, he spoke quietly of how others were expected to use Unforgiveable curses - something that had disgusted Sirius when he'd mentioned how many of the boys in his year were eager to join.

Regulus had also mentioned his theory that Slughorn wanted to make him Head Boy next year, Sirius had beamed with pride and said ' _Obviously_ '. Regulus had bit back a grin at that. Sirius had also cautiously asked how he had been doing the past few years, starting all the way in his first year and how worried he'd been when he found out he'd joined the Quidditch team. They'd both gotten teary and emotional at some point before Regulus decided to change the topic to something that had been bothering him.

"Siri?"

"Yes, little lion?" And that was another nickname Sirius had taken to calling him. He already cycled through a bunch; Little one, little brother and little lion were usually used in a general or teasing manner, any kind of slightly insulting nickname was when he was vaguely annoyed, Reg or Reggie were for everyday use and Little star was reserved for very special occasions, it was the most special, in a way. Regulus on the other hand only really called Sirius 'Siri', sometimes he'd call him an idiot or a stupid mutt, but the latter only seemed to amuse his brother.

Regulus glanced at him, "You don't have to tell me. But how do you-" He coughed, "That is to say, how do you get near Lupin on the full moons? And don't try to deny it! I followed you one time and-"

"What! You-"

"I was curious! I needed to see if my hypothesis was correct, so yes, I followed you. I'd only planned to get close enough to see if my suspicions were correct. I'm no fool, I wasn't exactly going to go toe-to-toe with a werewolf." He scoffed.

Sirius gaped, "Don't you ever- don't you dare do something so stupid. Bloody hell Reg, you really _will_ put me in an early grave!"

"Well! I wanted to know! Anyway, I only got to the Whomping Willow before I turned back - I wasn't sure what was beneath but I waited near the entrance hall for you to get back, I ended up leaving after a while, you were gone for hours!"

Sirius grimaced, "We would have used the cloak but James doesn't want to risk Moony tearing into it. No wonder Snape was able to follow us too, I'll have to convince him to risk it, we could always leave it in the tunnel." He muttered to himself.

"See! So you admit, you're somehow with him on the full moon?" Regulus felt oddly satisfied. He couldn't help it, he always loved knowing he was right. It was the inner Ravenclaw in him that sought out this knowledge, and he couldn't help but feel smug whenever he turned out to be correct.

Which, was more often than not. He loved being intelligent, it was his biggest asset in his opinion. It wasn't always very becoming, he could be a bit of a prideful bastard.

"Yeah," Sirius seemed to hesitate, "We all are."

"Well that was obvious. You four are practically attached at the hip," Regulus felt his tone was only _slightly_ bitter, but judging by the look Sirius gave him, apparently he'd let more of his dislike seep through. "If one of you were there, of course the rest were. " Was that better? He was very tempted to ask.

Sirius gave him a thoughtful glance, "You work it out." Is all he said in answer to his earlier question.

Regulus scowled before brightening. "Okay. Let's see-"

"I meant later."

"No, let's do this now." He snapped, "Let's see. You, Potter and Pettigrew all worked out some clever little way to be with Lupin when he transforms, that, you've already admitted. I'd immediately guess a shield of some kind, or perhaps separate rooms. You could be behind a barrier I suppose, but you said Potter didn't want to risk his cloak coming to harm which makes that, and the possibility that you aren't in the same room, unlikely."

Regulus tilted his head, "Next, I'd suppose you were all secretly werewolves, that your friend had turned you, but that's clearly not true either. None of you show any marks apart from Lupin - though," He squinted, "You do sometimes end up in the hospital wing with him, meaning that whatever you do, you're in close proximity." He chewed his lip thoughtfully as his mind raced.

It was possible they were werewolves, but very unlikely. There would be more signs, more obvious scars and more trips to the hospital wing. No, his brother was no Dark creature.

Regulus furrowed his brow, "Now, I'd _then_ assume you had some way of subduing him. A spell or a potion perhaps, but if that were the case, I'm sure you wouldn't have kept it to yourselves. You're all far too Gryffindor to do such a selfish thing. So that removes that possibility."

Sirius seemed to be getting slightly uncomfortable, as if he'd realised that Regulus was very capable of figuring this out. He'd always been much more cerebral. Sometimes this meant he overlooked obvious conclusions, he tended to go for the more difficult and problematic answers instead of going with what was staring him in the face. It was due to this that he'd discarded the possibility of multiple Horcruxes - it was madness after all.

Sirius however, was more blunt. Voldemort _was_ madness; he was insane and yet also very intelligent, magically capable and certainly paranoid enough for such a thing to be within the realm of possibility. Honestly, he and Sirius worked surprisingly well together, they complimented each other very well.

Mother would _never_ approve.

"Now," Regulus started smoothly, "That leaves very few possibilities. You're certainly in close proximity to him during the transformation and yet you aren't a werewolf. So where does that leave us. From here, I wonder whether it has any link to your nicknames."

Sirius did a very good job at keeping a straight face, but they'd always been able to read each other.

The slight exhale would have been ignored by most, but Regulus knew his brother had just contained himself from letting out a very obvious tell.

Ah.

He smirked vindictively, "Oh, it does. Hm, let me think. If Moony is a jab at his wolf counterpart, I wonder if-" He smirked victoriously, "You're animagi!"

Sirius slumped, groaning as he turned away from him. Regulus let out a laugh, he'd puzzled it out!

"Oh that's brilliant! And highly dangerous - you'd be sent straight to Azkaban if anyone knew. Oh! Yes, I remember reading that werewolves were unlikely to harm other animals, even prey. They prefer human meat, don't they?" Regulus shook his head, astonished, "That's truly brilliant."

"I knew it, fucking Ravenclaw- little swot-" Sirius mumbled into his hands, pressing his fingers harshly into his eyes. "The Marauders are gonna kill me, Moony doesn't even know that you know about his furry little problem."

Regulus mouthed the words ' _furry little problem_ ' incredulously before shrugging, "Oh well, not my fault I'm smart. I wonder if I could guess your forms." He mused, head tilting. "What are the others nicknames? I know yours is Padfoot and Pettigrew's is something about a tail."

"Prongs is James, Peter is Wormtail. How come you remembered mine?"

"'Cause it's stupid." Is all he said as he once again furrowed his brow in thought. He ignored Sirius' indignant cry and began to ponder. "Prongs is a weird one. That would suggest some kind of horns or perhaps a sharp set of talons. It could even be antlers or a pointy beak, if you use your imagination. Hm, maybe even especially pointy ears! But Wormtail, that's fairly easy. That denotes a worm-like tail, yes? So some kind of rodent most likely, judging by how much you freaked out when I called him a rat, and how terribly _fitting_ it is for his personality, I'll go with rat."

Sirius groaned, "You're ridiculous."

Regulus beamed, "I'm on a roll here. Okay, you'll have to give me a hint for Prongs."

"What about Padfoot?"

"I'm saving that one for last, give me a hint."

Sirius thought for a moment. "Okay. Uh, it's a very proud creature. Slightly arrogant-" Regulus snorted, rolling his eyes. How fitting. Sirius looked at him for a moment before continuing, "A herbivore. Generally quite peaceful-" Regulus made a curious noise, so not completely fitting then. Sirius gave him the same look before adding, "And is fairly commonly seen in the wild - particularly here."

Regulus pondered on that information. It wasn't much, but it was enough. "That decreases the likelihood of many horned animals, they're generally wild to places like Africa or Asia. I doubt he's anything small so nothing like a horned-serpent or chameleon." Sirius snorted at James being a snake and Regulus pinched him, he needed to concentrate. "If he's a herbivore he's likely something mild-mannered too, add the herbivore fact..." He tilted his head, "Plus a proud, arrogant creature.. I'd guess a deer. A stag, specifically. Oh, yes, certainly. I've heard far too many deer puns now that I think about it."

Sirius only huffed, "Padfoot?"

"Oh, that ones easy too. Honestly, Potter's was only difficult because there are so many possibilities and I don't _know_ him personally. I know you well enough to narrow the animal down. Ones animagus form reflects their true nature, after all."

"So, what do you figure?"

Regulus hummed, "Well. Padfoot is a fairly obvious name, that points towards an animal with padded feet. So that instantly narrows it down to a mammal. You _could_ be a wild animal, such as a tiger or even a camel, but I doubt it. You've always struggled to be alone, so you're certainly a pack animal. You're also extremely loyal, intelligent and you're the protective type. I also happen you know you have long fur, long _black_ fur-"

"There's no way you know that!"

Regulus only raised a brow, "Do you know how many clumps of fur I've found in your bedroom? You never could be discreet - honestly I'm a little annoyed I didn't put it together sooner. I'd thought you were practicing your Transfiguration out of boredom." He huffed, "So, adding all of that up. I think you and Lupin have a lot more in common than you may expect - you've both got names that are, quite frankly, a little ridiculous."

Sirius laughed, "I know. Bloody hell. Sirius, as in, 'the dog star' and Black, the colour."

"Can I see?" Regulus asked shyly. He desperately wanted to see the proof of his instincts. A soft pop later and a large (bloody hell was he big) black dog was suddenly sitting on the bed beside him. Regulus sat up and the dog leapt forward, licking his cheek and barking excitedly. His large fluffy tail wagged exuberantly and Regulus giggled. "I always wanted a pet, owls don't count. Mother would never have allowed it, but I always hope that one day she'd cave." He whispered softly. 

Sirius growled at the mention of Walburga and Regulus startled, "You're scary when you do that. You look a lot like a Grim, you know. I bet you'd give most wizards a heart attack." Regulus softly ran a hand across his thick fur, laughing when Sirius preened and pushed into his hand, snatching it back when he snapped at it playfully.

Sirius barked happily, turning in a circle and sitting down proudly. "This is amazing, you know. I wish I were better at Transfiguration - being an animagus seems so interesting. And helpful. Though, I suppose that depends on your form."

In a moment, Sirius was back. "I'll teach you." He promised.

"Really?" He gasped, "You would?"

"I will." He corrected, "If Peter managed it, you certainly can. It'll take a while but you'll get it - you're accomplished at occlumency and you have good focus. You'll get the meditation down easily - I'll get my notes from my dorm and you can start practicing this evening."

Regulus grinned, "That's amazing, thank you Siri. I'll do some more research tonight - are there any books in the library on it?"

"Yeah, just-" As his brother listed off where he should check in the library, he let himself sink into the peacefulness he'd been trying to keep at bay. Sirius knew everything now. He knew about the Mark, the cave and the Horcruxes. Sirius had even shared some secrets of his own! It was like how it used to be, how it should have _always_ been. Two brothers bonding without a care in the world.

He knew it would get a lot harder after this, that they'd have to deal with Horcruxes and somehow acquiring the book from Black Manor. They'd even have to deal with working out if there _were_ other Horcruxes and what they could possibly even be. There was also the issue of Mother and Voldemort when Regulus inevitably made his desertion known.

But he couldn't wait. He'd have Sirius by his side and that's when he knew everything would be okay.

[EXTRA] 

"Did I tell you Voldemort's a half-blood?"

Sirius spat out his pumpkin juice. "What did you just say?"

"Hm. Yes, He's a half-blood. His mother is a near-Squib from the Gaunt line and his sire- well, I don't know his identity yet, but he never attended Hogwarts. So, likely a muggle. Perhaps a muggleborn that wasn't notable enough to be in the records, but he was an orphan anyway so it doesn't matter. He's a bastard, literally."

Sirius gaped. "He- but he's all about blood purity!"

"I know."

"What a bloody hypocrite! He's out here leading a war against all those with muggle relations and yet-"

"I know." Regulus shrugged, "His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, just so you know."

"Riddle! That's why you mentioned him in the hospital wing! Wait, I've had to polish his bloody plaque! Should we destroy it?"

Regulus blinked. He jumped to his feet and pulled out his wand, "Yes."

"Can I do it?" Sirius asked. They were back in the Room of Requirement, the plaque on the floor in front of them as they both glared down at it. 

After Sirius had finished laughing at Regulus' eagerness (and pettiness) they'd immediately done to the trophy room, under disillusionment charms, and swiped up the plaque. 

"I wanted to."

"It was my idea."

"I'm the one that worked his identity out in the first place! You've been polishing the thing for years!"

Sirius scowled, "Exactly. So I think I deserve some payback."

"I almost died because of him!"

"So's everyone. Get over it." Sirius paused, "Okay that was mean, sorry, you do it."

Regulus immediately dropped the kicked puppy look he'd given Sirius and raised his wand.

"Little shit-"

"Bombarda!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have taken some liberties here but again; I really do think Regulus was exceedingly intelligent. And honestly, I never understood how Snape didn't work it out. It's rather obvious in hindsight; if Moony refers to his werewolf side, it would be a logical conclusion to wonder if the other Marauders nicknames could have a similar meaning.
> 
> I also think Wormtail and Padfoot especially are quite obvious, Prongs is a little harder.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! Also, Petty Regulus is canon, that Horcrux note was the biggest Fuck You and I loved it.


	13. The Marauders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius loves the Marauders, James says some things, Remus is exasperated and Peter is confused.
> 
> [Regulus hates them all]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regulus only appears at the very end, every so often I might do a little 'extra' scene just for fun.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! I love the idea of ickle baby Reggie taking his first steps or saying his first words while big brother Sirius cheers him on, anyone else?

Sirius had delighted in watching his little brother destroy Voldemort's plaque. He doubted anyone would notice it missing for a while, so he'd happily thrown his own Incendio at the chunks Regulus' had blasted the thing in to.

He'd laughed as Regulus flushed with a vindictive glee at destroying the mans plaque and couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to see the tyrant go down for real. To see him utterly mortal, pathetically falling to the ground. He'd love to see it. He'd love to see it even more if it were by his own wand.

Sirius had always been firmly against Voldemort. But knowing what he knew now, he _hungered_ to see him suffer. He'd always been ready to fight, to defend those that couldn't defend themselves. He'd been eager to jump into Auror training straight after graduation since he was young - which he still planned on doing!

Being an Auror would certainly be ideal. He'd be given the necessary training to properly hold his own in a fight with the Death Eaters. Little duels every so often in school weren't enough, and Sirius had mentioned to his brother the possibility of using the room for training. Regulus had agreed that it was possible and they'd tested out the dummies the room had provided. They'd even had a mock duel themselves and Sirius was impressed with Regulus' ability to hold his own.

And _immensely_ relieved, he knew his brother was no slouch, but seeing him fiercely match him spell for spell had eased his worry - Regulus could defend himself well enough. But he was not as good as he could be and Regulus had admitted he needed to train too - that they both needed to get better. Horcrux hunting wasn't easy, as showcased by Regulus' injuries - but it would only get harder.

After graduation, they'd both be fair game for all Death Eaters to attack; which they would, with a vengance.

Particularly cousin Bella, she'd be more than happy to show her blood-traitor cousin and his defector little brother.

Regulus had been very proud, commenting on the fact that being an Auror was a very high profile job. It was demanding, however, and a very elite squad within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He'd considered being a Hit Wizard, but being an Auror was certainly more fit for him. Hit Wizard's were mainly only called in for the particularly dangerous criminals, yes, but Aurors were given full training in a number of areas - something that greatly intrigued him. He also knew that although being an Auror would be much harder (they so rarely accepted recruits) it would be the career for him.

He wanted to do what was right, and wouldn't Walburga be fit to combust if she knew her son would be joining the Auror academy upon his graduation.

Sirius had been shocked at how easily his little brother had worked out what was arguably the Marauders biggest secret. It was certainly the most dangerous. It was a secret they'd guarded closely. Although, Regulus had a point that their nicknames _were_ a pretty big giveaway. 

Honestly, it was embarrassing how quickly Regulus had worked it all out.

He'd made a very clever sounding comment about someone called 'Holmes', calling Sirius 'Watson' before groaning when he only stared blankly. He must remember to mention this to Remus, if anyone would understand what he'd meant, he would.

Speaking of Remus, Sirius also knew he had to tell him that Regulus knew his secret. In fact, he'd already been planning on how to approach the subject.

He and Regulus had said their farewells already. They'd been holed up in the room almost all day and it was only an hour off of dinnertime. Sirius had taken out the map when Regulus left the Room, following his movements until he reached the Slytherin dorms. He would be slipping Regulus his full research later, for now, he'd given him enough written down tips and instructions to set his meditation up for the night.

He hadn't been lying, he knew Regulus would achieve his form within the year. He was too level-headed to have any true issues with concentrating on his form, and he would easily be able to brew the potion necessary for the transformation.

As Sirius approached the Gryffindor common room, he inwardly grimaced. He didn't know how this conversation would go. The boys could accuse him of lying - of having told Regulus everything, which he hadn't. Though, perhaps he shouldn't have goaded Regulus into working out the Animagus thing for himself. He'd even given him tips on guessing Prongs' form! 

It had been hours since his argument with James, but standing in front of the Fat Lady brought that spark of heat back. He had gently mentioned the full argument to Regulus who had rolled his eyes and pointed out that, ' _it's obvious what it's really about, but if you wish to be deliberately obtuse I'll leave you in your ignorance_ ' which, _unhelpful._

"Oh hello handsome." She simpered.

Sirius smirked, the Fat Lady had saved him from a number of detentions. All he'd had to do was flirt a little, "Ah, Florence. Aren't you looking particularly beautiful today? My- is that a new flower in your luscious hair?"

She giggled, fanning herself, "Oh you charmer! You know it is!" It wasn't.

"It makes you look positively radiant, my dear! It brings out your eyes." It didn't.

The portrait giggled some more, "Oh you lovely boy."

Sirius smiled before leaning in to whisper the password, he would never risk someone overhearing, "Lyrebird." He gave the Fat Lady one last cheeky wink before he crawled through the entrance to the common room.

He looked in the direction of the fireplace and grimaced when he saw the Marauders. James was laid out on the sofa with Remus by his feet, book in hand. Peter was apparently making adjustments to an essay that Remus had clearly looked over for him judging by the small annotations the boy was squinting at from his place on the floor.

James looked up when he got closer and seemed to be purposefully keeping his facial expression neutral. Remus also looked up and slowly closed his book, glancing at Peter who had hurriedly tucked his essays away and covered his ink pot. He also seemed to be slowly inching away from the table as if any moment Sirius would leap across and attack James, or the other way round, who knew what Peter was thinking half the time.

"James." Sirius greeted shortly. "Should we go upstairs?"

The others shared looks before James nodded, "Alright."

They all quietly shuffled upstairs, Sirius taking the lead with his head held high. As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing wrong earlier. He knew Remus, while generally aiming to stay neutral in all Marauder issues, had enough sense to see that. Peter was difficult and being in close proximity to the boy made him slightly wary.

He and Regulus had discussed the whole 'being illegal animagi' thing. And when the shock had wore off, Regulus had thoroughly analysed their forms. His and James' seemed to fit very well. Sirius had even revealed that James _was_ generally very mild-mannered, it was only during confrontations and when something conflicted with his morals that he changed, acting very much like a stubborn buck. Regulus had then pointed out his final friends form, how rats were known for their weak loyalties and eagerness to piggyback on the success of others.

It left him feeling bereft. 

He decided he would think on that later and crossed over to his bed. James trailed in first, followed by Peter and finally Remus who firmly closed the door, flicking his wand to silence the room. Sirius inwardly snickered, Remus was always prepared and apparently he was making sure that, should there be a shouting match, nobody would be eavesdropping.

Sirius looked at Remus, "Should I start, oh Mr. Mediator?"

Remus rolled his eyes. Whenever an argument happened within the Marauders, or a situation needed to be handled, Remus was generally the neutral party. He was the most logical of them all and the least likely to blow up (Sirius) or curl into a ball crying (Peter). Of course, arguments didn't happen that often and it was usually in a more joking manner that they did occur. Usually when he and James disagreed on the method or victim of a prank. Sometimes it was even both.

"That seems like as good an idea as any." He said tiredly.

"Right, well. I don't get why you got so upset, quite frankly, and I won't apologise for what I said. I've always known I wouldn't be comfortable living off of your parents and relying on others, so this isn't exactly news. I distinctly remember telling you that, actually, and you didn't seem to get upset. Yet I mention moving in with Reg and you completely lose it!"

James curled his lip, "I'll admit I may have overstepped a line and I apologise for-" He swallowed, _"-insulting_ Regulus. But I still don't get why you're so eager to move out! You- you've only just moved in and you're already making up a whole plan to leave!"

Sirius frowned, "It's not that I'm eager to move out, and I'm certainly not eager to leave you or your parents - I love your house Prongs. It's just that I want to do something for myself."

"But it's not for yourself, is it? It's for _him."_ He spat.

Sirius shook his head, "No actually. I'd always planned on this. Regulus moving in with me is a new addition to the plan, but not an unwelcome one."

James mirrored his frown, forehead wrinkling slightly. "How come you didn't ask one of us?"

"Bloody hell-" He groaned, "I didn't even ask Regulus! I just told him if he didn't I'd kidnap the little shit. If you all wanna live together, we could. But I only mentioned it to him yesterday - you're acting like I'm doing this to hurt you."

James huffed, "Well, I am hurt."

Sirius sighed, "Why? Is it because you're jealous?"

His friend spluttered, "What? Jealous? I'm not- why would I be-"

Remus cleared his throat, "James. What did we speak about?"

The boy pouted, "I'm not!"

"We already agreed that, yes, you are."

Sirius watched them for a moment before sighing, "Right, okay, why are you jealous exactly? He's my little brother James, you can't get upset that I want to live with him."

"It's not that! It's that-" He met his eyes, "You've been so preoccupied lately and I get it, I do. You were worried about him but then you talked it all out and then you were cool. But suddenly you want to live with him and- today! You were with him all day! You've been spending so much time either thinking about him or being with him and where does that leave us? So yes, maybe, I'm a little jealous. But I'm worried too, Padfoot."

Sirius frowned at him, "I'm allowed to spend time with him, James. I've been wanting to be close to him for years and I finally have that chance."

"I know!" James huffed, "And I'm not trying to say that you can't. I just- I'm worried he's going to get you involved in something bad, okay?"

Sirius' heart dropped. Technically, James was not wrong. But that didn't matter, "I don't care. I really don't Prongs, he's my brother. If any of you had a problem I'd want you to come to me and if he does the same, I'll happily be there for him. The danger doesn't matter. We're all going to be in danger when we graduate! I'm a runaway son of the House of Black, Moony and Wormtail are both half-bloods and Moony's a werewolf for Merlin's sake! And you're a blood traitor from a family of blood-traitors! We're all in danger!"

James looked down, "I know. But- there's rumours, Pads. Richards says he overheard some of the Slytherin boys in our year talking about Black- about Regulus. Apparently he's already on his way to being a Death Eater, he might already be marked!"

"Didn't we agree that was unlikely, like, yesterday?" He said, ignoring the cold feeling in his gut. He wouldn't reveal Regulus' secret, they'd never understand. They wouldn't understand that he'd had very little choice, a true Gryffindor would never understand.

But, as much as Sirius proudly dons red and gold, he was raised wearing green and silver. He's much more Slytherin than even his friends know.

"Yeah! But, I don't know Sirius. I'm _worried._ I know it won't matter, you love him and you'd never abandon him again." James winced at his wording, "I mean- you know what I mean. And honestly, yes, I'm a little jealous. I'm your best friend and I've been there for you when he wasn't. I feel like- I don't know-"

"Underappreciated?" Sirius asked, "'Cause if that's the case you'd better stop. I love you, Prongs. You're my best friend, you're like a brother to me! You all are! I don't know where I'd be without the Marauders. If I'd never met you on the train I'd probably be Mummy's perfect little Slytherin."

The other's startled, James looked at him with wide eyes, "What?"

"I'd always planned to try and go anywhere but Slytherin. I hated Mother and I hated her ideals. I knew I wouldn't be happy - but it was meeting _you,_ James, that really gave me the kick up the arse that I needed. When the hat spoke to me, it said I could choose." The others gasped, Sirius nodded solemnly, "I lied, after. You guys seemed so certain I was always meant to be a Gryffindor, but it's only because I _chose_ to be that I was sorted here."

Remus shook his head, "You are a Gryffindor. The fact that you went against your family and chose to be sorted here, proves that."

"Exactly!" James agreed, "You're meant to be here." James still looked worried, "And- I'm sorry about earlier. It was out of line. I let my jealousy get the better of me and I think honestly-" He looked at the other Marauders, "I don't think we'll ever really understand. We don't know what it's like to..."

"Be raised in an abusive household?" Sirius nodded his head, the others winced at his blitheness, "To be stuck there, in a stylised prison day after day. Yeah, you wouldn't and I'd never want you guys to understand that."

James winced again, "I'm not saying-"

"No I know." Sirius smiled wryly. "You guys don't get it. That's okay. Did you know, my earliest memory is of Reg? I don't know how, but I can remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday. He was _tiny_ as a baby, born premature due to Mother's drinking."

Remus gasped, "But-" He spluttered, "Everyone knows that's just not done. That could have-"

"I know, she didn't care. Her Heir had already stopped her once and she wouldn't bother doing it again for the _spare_ son." He spat, "I remember how little he was in his crib. I'd hated the idea of a brother at first, I didn't want to share what little attention my parents gave me. But-" He smiled softly, drawing patterns on the bed sheet, "He was so cute. He was sleeping at the time. Always peaceful, even as a baby. I remember poking his little cheek and he woke up and just looked at me."

His gaze lost focus. He remembered that day so clearly. "After that, I'm pretty sure every single positive memory in that house involved Reg, and I realised he was the shining star in that foul place. I can remember him taking his first steps, teaching him to say my name..." He trailed off. Thinking back to little baby Regulus always made him happy. "Watching him bounce around after learning something new, his excitement when he first learned to fly, the first time we saw a Hippogriff in person and I managed to give him one of it's feathers..."

"We'd never be able to understand that," Remus said softly, sitting beside him. "And we know that he's important to you. Honestly, I think you're both good for each other. You seem in much better spirits today and I think your brother is probably the same."

James was quiet as he observed him. Carefully looking him over before he too joined Sirius on his bed, "You're more relaxed than I've seen you in- honestly I don't think I've ever seen you this..."

"You're usually more tense." Peter added, sitting on James' bed that was next to Sirius'. "You seem happier."

"I am." Sirius felt the emotions pouring out of him, "I mean it. He- I've been _terrified_ for years that I'd lost him. That the sweet little boy that used to tug on my hair to wake me up after a nightmare, the little boy that used to give me chocolate frog cards from his own collection, the boy that would lie to Mother when he could, was _gone._ When-" He sniffled, pursing his lips, "When that old hag got her claws in him, I thought she'd stolen him from me."

"She couldn't." Remus smiled, "You're brothers."

Sirius nodded, James seemed to have relaxed after his words. He had an easy smile on his face at the set of his shoulders had loosened, "You can't break that. You can't break a bond like that." He added and Sirius felt the double meaning in his words. He was promising to be better, that although he may not fully understand, he'd support his and Regulus' reconciliation. 

"I always wished I had a sibling." Peter muttered, "It's so lonely at home, with only Mum and Dad. Especially after being at Hogwarts all year."

"Yeah!" James enthused, "It's even worse at the Manor! I mean, I think it's why my parents spoiled me so much. Do you know how bloody boring it is?"

"Oh yes, it sounds dreadful. Having two wealthy, loving parents and a large Manor to explore. However did you cope?" Remus added sarcastically, but he was grinning.

James kicked at him, "Shut it, Moony."

"It's true though," Remus hummed, turning back to Sirius. "You're lucky. I've always wanted a sibling too. Even a close cousin would have been welcome."

Peter looked unsure, but as if he desperately wanted to know. He leaned in and asked, "Don't you have cousins too?"

James nudged him slightly, "Oi-"

"No, it's fine. I know I don't talk about my childhood a lot and suddenly I'm all-" He waved a hand, "I get it."

He took a breath and nodded. "Yeah, there's Bellatrix, she's the oldest of Cygnus and Druella's kids. Then Andromeda and then Narcissa. 'Dromeda was disowned after she graduated though, she married a muggleborn so they were quite happy to burn her from the tree." He chuckled, "It's funny. Bella and I used to be fairly close. She's completely psycho now, but we used to get on alright. Cissa too, but she's- she's soft. She's a lot like Reg, actually. But she's married Malfoy now, the prick."

Peter grimaced, "I'm sorry for asking."

"Nah it's fine. We all used to play together at family gatherings but it was mainly just me and Reg. I stopped getting along with Bella years ago. I-" He flushed slightly, "I actually did something kind of... bad to her once. She deserved it though, but, maybe I overreacted. Cissa is okay, her and Reg still talk, I think."

James squinted, "I bet she deserved it."

"Of course you'd say that." The weary tone in Remus' voice made him snicker.

"Well! She probably did! I've heard a little about Bellatrix, she's one of the top Death Eaters, isn't she?"

Sirius nodded, "Pretty sure she's in love with Voldemort." Peter squeaked and Sirius rolled his eyes. He'd really have to stop doing that. "Anyway, she did. I found her bullying Reg one day. She'd made him cry so hard it sent him into a panic attack. I uh-" He grimaced, "I kicked her down the stairs."

James startled and even Remus looked shocked. Peter gaped, "You... kicked her down the stairs?"

"She deserved it! Regulus' lips were turning blue! She'd been so nasty- going on about how he was weak and that I'd get tired of him eventually. That he should be more like her or else I'd get sick of him following after me. She- Regulus almost made himself sick, he was so upset. And she'd sent some spell at him! He was hurt! I might have overreacted, but I-"

"You wanted to protect him." James acknowledged, "I can understand that- well, sort of. I'd probably have done something similar if I had an ickle brother that is... maybe a little less violent though."

Sirius shrugged, "In the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, violence is to be expected. Mother was actually proud, she only said that Cygnus should be embarrassed that a child had managed to overpower his daughter who was already a couple years into Hogwarts."

Remus shook his head, "Your family are bloody mad."

"True." He shrugged, "But _they're_ not my family, not really. Reg is, obviously. And Andy if she'd be interested, we haven't spoken much lately. Uncle Alphard's definitely family, maybe Cissa could be if she grew a spine. Aside from them, you guys are my family."

Peter smiled, "You guys are my family too."

"Same." Remus added.

"Woo!" James cheered, "The Marauders!"

Sirius laughed, throwing his head back. He loved his idiot friends. 

"So..." Peter started, "Is everything okay now?"

James turned to him and cuffed Sirius on his head. "I don't know Padfoot, think we should have a formal duel first?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I'd kick your arse, Potter. Don't embarrass yourself."

"Oi! No insulting the Head Boy! I'll dock points!" He grinned.

Sirius flicked his wand and sent a tickling charm at the boy who didn't even bother to deflect it. James started shrieking and laid back on the bed laughing. "Sorry, what was that your Headship, sir?"

"P-Prat! T-Take it-"

"Finite." Remus rolled his eyes. "You two are a nightmare."

It was meeting Remus' soft amber eyes that reminded him. He grimaced and pulled James back up, patting him on the shoulder. He pushed off of his bed and stood, walking over to the centre of the room. 

"Oh great, Padfoot's got some more dramatics planned." James grumbled, still huffing slightly for breath.

"Shut up. Right, I'll just say it- probably easier." He angled his body towards Remus, "Reg knows you're a werewolf."

The deafening silence that followed made him want to do something stupid like dance or start firing spells. They were looking at him with varying levels of shock and confusion. Peter was firmly in the latter category while James seemed completely gobsmacked. Remus however looked a heart-breaking mix of terrified and resigned.

"Is he..." Remus swallowed thickly, he looked like he was already mentally packing his bags, "Will he tell anyone?"

"No. And don't worry! I swear I didn't tell him, he says he's known for years. Almost sent me to an early grave! Just casually mentioned that he knew and started sipping his drink."

James blinked, _"How_ did he know?"

"Don't look so surprised, Reg's a little swot. Said he got curious and that's like his version of saying he had a mild suspicion and did everything he could to see if it was true. He even followed us to the Willow one night." He turned to James, "Told you we should use the cloak."

"That's _two_ bloody Slytherins that have found out! We really do need to be more careful," James muttered, "I think we got too cocky."

"From what I could gather, Reg's known even longer than Snivellus." He shrugged, "Again, unsurprising. Regulus isn't even a quarter as stupid as that git."

Remus seemed to regain some colour in his pallid cheeks, "So he won't tell?"

"Nah, Reg can keep a secret. Oh. And he knows we're animagi."

Peter choked, "Just how smart _is_ your brother?"

Sirius beamed proudly, "Very! But nobody tell him that- it'll only go to his head." He refrained from mentioning he'd only worked out the animagi thing because of Sirius' goading. "We good?"

James nodded tiredly, "Yeah. You promise he won't tell, right? 'Cause Moony could get expelled and we'd be locked up faster than you could say Quidditch!"

"Don't worry my _deer,_ we're safe."

"Oh don't you bloody start." He grumbled, "Come on, I'm starving. Let's go to dinner."

Sirius threw his head back and followed his best friend out of the dorms. He kicked him in the back of the knee and shouted, "Race you!"

James roared angrily. Hopping to his feet and giving chase immediately, "I'll kill you, Black!"

"Gotta catch me first, Potter! You've been eating too much treacle tart."

James spluttered, still running after him. Sirius ducked through the portrait and heard James emerge from a few feet behind him. He continued on down the hallway laughing as James screeched, "Are you calling me fat?"

[EXTRA]

Regulus watched from his place at the Slytherin table as his brother and Potter ran into the Great Hall. Sirius was in the lead while Potter was just behind. Over the muted chatter he could hear Potter firmly insisting that he was a healthy weight and he needed the calories for his 'very large Quidditch muscles'.

Regulus only sighed wearily as he continued to pick at his plate.

Why had he ever missed Sirius' stupidity?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! As I said, Sirius loves his baby bro dearly and James just doesn't understand that. Neither do Remus or Peter. Not only did Sirius grow up with a baby brother, they grew up clinging to each other for comfort and safety from an abusive Mother. That isn't always easy to understand! Even for kids that weren't abused, many only-child's don't really understand a sibling relationship, just like the rest of the Marauders.
> 
> I have an older sister and whenever I talk about our childhood my best friend (who is an only child) looks at me like I'm crazy. 
> 
> Ah, James and Remus are so fun to write. I honestly don't like Peter (from canon) but at this age he's relatively harmless. I don't know what other characters I'll save but I'll be honest, I don't like Snape or Peter so it's unlikely those two will be saved so if you're hoping for that I may have to disappoint you.
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts! I love seeing everyone's reactions - and I just love writing these precious boys. <3


	14. The Summons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time goes by, it's almost Christmas and Regulus is reluctantly summoned by that bastard of a Dark Lord.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's slightly... filler. I needed it though! I didn't want to take forever going through every day so I summarised heavily, but it's not too bad.

In the weeks that followed, much stayed the same.

A frosty layer had blanketed the castle, leaving many bundled up in their robes and prompting the elves to keep the fires burning well into the night. The hospital wing had been busier than ever, requests for Pepperup potions had skyrocketed. Bruise paste was also unfortunately popular, this was due to the slick ice that lay on the stone steps and walkways, causing many a student to slip and fall. Sometimes they even required bones to be reset.

Regulus continued to attend classes and made sure his grades were as perfect as usual. He'd always dreamed of obtaining all Outstandings in both his OWLs and his NEWTs. He'd already achieved this with his OWLs, something that had filled him with immeasurable joy when he'd opened the envelope over the summer, however brief it may have been. It would be hard to do the same with his NEWTs, they were wickedly difficult, but he knew he could do it. He was determined, he'd spent months studying for his OWLs and would go to even more extremes for his NEWTs.

He was also exceedingly thankful for his new rounds partner, Montgomery Smith was a Hufflepuff in his year that seemed to understand when to be quiet. This was a trait he admired in the few people that showcased such a thing in his age group. It was a rarity, and he was blessedly gifted with a partner who knew that Regulus' slow blinking and quiet demeanour was not born out of arrogance and superiority. Smith had actually taken to smiling at him in the halls, something that left him confused.

James Potter had also began giving him the odd smile, though it was strange, it always left him slightly flustered. He wasn't sure what had prompted the change in his brother's friend; one moment he and Sirius were in the middle of an argument that seemed to be because of Regulus, and the next Sirius and Potter are thick as thieves again and Potter is smiling at him at Prefect meetings.

Regulus hadn't reacted the first time, far too confused at the change in the boy who seemed to hate him. A feeling that was, not quite mutual, but not too far off from what he'd assumed he always felt around Potter. After Potter continued to be slightly warmer than cordial with him, even complimenting him every so often on his completed duties and one time mentioning his skills on the pitch, he began to hesitantly return the favour.

He understood now, why James Potter had begun to be nicer to him. It was because of Sirius, of course, and there was little he wouldn't do for his brother, so he'd reluctantly complied.

Another change had been Lupin. A few days after Sirius and he had spoken in the Room of Requirement, Remus Lupin had quietly joined his table in the back of the library. He had softly conveyed his thanks for not telling anyone about his secret, something Regulus had shrugged off. He had assured the older boy that he had no plans of revealing his secret when he first began to suspect him of having lycanthropy, and he certainly wasn't going to tell anybody now.

From that day, Regulus seemed to have gained a study partner. Or a.. _person,_ at least.

After they'd gotten over Lupin's gratitude, he'd casually mentioned something Sirius had said. Apparently the 'Holmes and Watson' comment had irked him, feeling left out of the joke. It appeared that Lupin, however, knew exactly what he'd meant and found it terribly fascinating that a pureblood like Regulus would know of the characters.

They'd spoken of their favourite works from there, even sharing recommendations and Regulus had been pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed 'The Outsiders', a book Remus had suggested he may like. Remus had asked his parents to owl the book to him and had passed it along to Regulus. He'd originally planned to read a little and then study, but had ended up finishing the book in one sitting.

Remus had been delighted when he ambushed him in the library the next day, excitedly talking about how much he'd enjoyed it. Regulus had embarrassingly teared up as he recounted Johnny's last words to Ponyboy and how he'd cried like a baby upon reading them. Remus had nodded sadly, agreeing that it had upset him too. 

One day, Regulus had quietly told Remus about a new book that had been released and how excited he was to read it. He had a standing owl order with Flourish and Blotts and had thoroughly enjoyed the heart-breaking yet beautiful story told in 'Bridge to Terabithia'. It had prompted him to immediately ask for a second copy and he gifted it to Remus after studying Potions together one day. Remus had come to him the next day, with red-rimmed eyes, and had sniffled over the story and thanked him for the book.

His Flourish and Blotts account had always been accessed frequently. He had a standing order for any new books of specific genres and he would usually be sent a checklist with descriptions of each book. Usually he'd tick off the ones that interested him, but there were now a few he added because Remus had suggested them or the other boy had found the description interesting. Luckily their taste's were largely similar, but every so often they disagreed on a particular story.

Mother had never bothered to check what kind of books he ordered so he only contacted the employees at Flourish's, Mother just paid for everything and let him do as he pleased. It was something she'd always done - he always so easily complied with her wishes that it was one of the few things she didn't bother to check. He had always been an avid reader, and a few extra titles each week wouldn't surprise her.

Sirius had seemed bemused by their interactions but clearly very pleased. He had snuck into the library under the cloak one day and had seen them both giggling over a particularly clever line in one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works. He'd exclaimed over their closeness, laughing at the odd friendship and had scuttled off when Regulus threw a quill at his face.

He'd been pink in the cheeks as Remus quietly admitted that he _did_ think of them as friends, something that had made Regulus flush. He hadn't been sure, but he'd hoped.

Regulus now had an actual _friend._

He and Remus' friendship only continued to grow from there. They met in the library almost every day and Regulus found the break in the monotony thrilling. He'd been so used to being alone for so long and he was unhappy when he realised both Sirius and Remus would be leaving him next year.

Graduation could stay far in the future, as far as Regulus was concerned.

Sirius had been so proud of him. One day in the Room of Requirement, after an intense duel that had ended with Regulus dropping to his knees in exhaustion, Sirius had told him he was glad he and Remus were friends. It had always worried Sirius to see him alone and he too seemed concerned with what would happen after graduation, but for now he was ecstatic.

Of course, they weren't exactly _open_ in their friendship. But rarely did anyone seemed to care that they were study partners, likely due to the fact that Lupin was honestly easy to overlook in a crowd and they were both top students. Even the Slytherins in his year seemed largely unconcerned. He would know if they'd let anything slip to their parents, Mother would have likely sent him a Howler if she knew.

A half-blood friend was one thing, but the half-blood in question being Sirius' Gryffindor friend? She'd be _livid._

It didn't matter anyway, for it was finally the holidays. He'd managed to convince Sirius that he had to go back to Grimmauld Place, at least for the next couple of weeks. Not only because procuring the tome he needed was important, but so that he could say goodbye to Kreacher and pack his essentials.

_"Give the elf a big kiss from me!"_

_"Sirius!"_

_"Tell me if he vomits!"_

Regulus had only rolled his eyes at his brother and gone back to studying, he had to get those NEWTs scores he craved, after all. 

Sirius and the rest of the Marauders would be going to Potter's. Apparently it was common for them all to meet up at Potter's, going back to their own families every so often and then usually returning to Potter Manor before the break would end. Remus had told him that although he loved his parents, he knew they didn't understand him. His mother was a muggle and his father had too many decade's of mounting prejudice against werewolves in him. They loved their son, but there was apparently a lot of awkwardness there.

To spare them, he often spent as much of the holiday's with James as he could. Supposedly Pettigrew was the same to a lesser extent, usually only spending a few days at a time away from home. Sirius on the other hand, had always tried to spend every second he could away from Grimmauld, and now that he was a full time resident, he'd be happily going to the Potter's for the holidays.

Sirius had snuck Regulus into his compartment on the train and it had been a surprisingly pleasant journey. He and Potter weren't quite friendly enough yet, and he despised how shifty Pettigrew was, but he enjoyed spending time with his brother and Remus.

James and Peter had seemed awestruck by the ease in which he and Remus conversed, Potter had even added, "So that's where you've been sneaking off to, Moony!"

Remus had ignored him and continued to chatter with Regulus about the different ways to organise their books. Remus was firmly of the opinion that they should be ordered according to size and colour while Regulus pointed out that, as wizards, they could always alter those later and that organising alphabetically made the most sense. Remus had only said that altering the books was blasphemous behaviour and James had interrupted them with a game of exploding snap, apparently they'd been getting slightly heated.

Sirius had been incredibly amused by the whole thing and Regulus often caught him watching them closely, a gleam in his eye that Regulus couldn't identify.

"Evans loves me really." James scoffed. He and Sirius were apparently having a playful argument about the present James intended to send her for Christmas, "I know she does! She actually seems to like me now!"

Regulus had had enough of this, "That's only because you've finally started to listen to her."

The others looked at him, James with an eager look in his eye, "So you agree?"

"I said she likes you _only_ because you've changed. That's only a start," Regulus said, leaning back against the bench and crossing his ankles delicately, "You have to _prove_ to her that you've properly matured. You're doing well so far, everyone can see that she treats you differently to how she used to, but that's in accordance with your behaviour. When you start getting obnoxious she backs away, she doesn't like the arrogant, cocky, showboating attitude you used to lord around." Regulus sniffed.

James seemed confused on whether he should feel insulted or not, he pondered this for a moment, humming every so often before he nodded. "Do you think sending her a gift for Christmas is a good idea? Sirius says she'll likely send it back like she usually does-"

"If she's consistently sending them back then that isn't a good sign." Regulus interjected.

Remus placed a hand in the air to halt James in his words, "That's what I said. But, Lily _has_ warmed up to him these past few months."

"You seem to get along well during the meetings," He said, referring to the Prefect meeting they'd just had where Lily Evans had actually smiled at Potter and wished him a good holiday. James had gone very red and cheered loudly as soon as he was in the compartment, "What have you gotten her?"

"It's only something small - a set of quills with her initials on. They're charmed to be much more durable as well and I made sure the lettering would match her hair!"

Regulus nodded slowly, "That seems okay. You should do it."

"No!" Sirius groaned, "Now I'm gonna have to put up with him moping when she inevitably sends it back."

"Regulus may have a point," Remus countered, "Lily has been more amenable recently, and usually James goes over the top trying to get her attention. A smaller gift with much more of an emphasis on it's usefulness may appeal to her."

Peter shifted, "You never know. I just hope she doesn't send an angry letter this time."

"Hasn't done that since fifth year- to be fair, I probably shouldn't have sent a note about Snivellus." James added sheepishly, ruffling his hair uncomfortably.

Regulus waved a hand at him, "And that, Potter, is why she seems to like you now. You've actually started using your brain." He added snidely, he couldn't allow them to think he actually liked Potter. Though, he knew it was only a matter of time. He and James had started discussing Quidditch moves one time and James had been thrilled to see his enthusiasm with the game matched. For all that Sirius was an excellent Beater, he didn't much care about the game's more technical aspects, though he was certainly an avid supporter of Puddlemere United.

Regulus however, followed the game closely. He, Sirius and James had even stayed up one night to listen to one of the games on the wireless. 

Sirius had asked Regulus if he could introduce his friends to the Room of Requirement, but Regulus had asked him to wait. He wanted to procure the book from Black Manor first and hopefully draw up a plan. On Sirius' suggestion, a plan that may include the Marauders.

It was something he was still unsure of. He could see Remus and even James being helpful in this, but he just couldn't see a use for Pettigrew. Regulus had even admitted during a slightly terse conversation between he and his brother than he didn't trust Peter at all.

Sirius had been angry at this revelation but the argument that followed, with Regulus tearfully admitting that he didn't want anyone else to possibly be injured or even die for his mission, he'd softened. Sirius had quietly told him that it was Regulus' prerogative and if he didn't want the others to know, then that was okay.

His brother's faith in his friend was admirable, but he knew how dangerous this mission was. If something happened to one of his friends because of Regulus, (as selfish as it was) he was terrified it would make his brother leave him. He also knew he'd never be able to live with himself if he caused such a thing, the guilt would eat Regulus alive. Kreacher's shaking form still haunted him months later.

"Keep your head down, little one. Don't let that hag get to you." Sirius had whispered in his ear, hugging him tightly as the train slowed down. Regulus had warded the compartment next door to protect his trunk and had put a discreet notice-me-not on himself when he'd left. But they didn't want to risk anyone seeing him leaving the compartment.

"I won't." Regulus had replied. He'd gone bright red when Remus had pulled him into a hug, flushing as the older boy cautioned him to stay safe and keep strong.

Potter had also had words for him, reminding him that at any time, he could go to Potter Manor. Slipping him a piece of paper with the floo address and smiling warmly, encouraging him to look out for himself.

He'd never experienced such kindness and it had thrown him. Pettigrew's awkward wave had felt much more familiar and he'd only nodded tersely before slipping out. As he'd closed the door, he heard his brother thanking Potter and grew flustered again.

He hurriedly grabbed his trunk, using the presence of the of-age seventh years to mask his use of a shrinking charm. Technically, they were no longer protected by the status of 'student' as soon as they left Hogwarts, even though the Express was Hogwarts property. But the many seventeen year olds and few adults on board were a perfect explanation for the magic many did. He knew of many muggleborns that used the train as last minute practice before they'd be stuck without the use of their magic for weeks, sometimes months.

Regulus had refrained from cringing at the foreboding presence Mother made. She stood proudly. Tall and elegant in ways that could only be achieved by someone of nobility, of someone who had been told the worth of their blood and station their whole lives. She wore smug arrogance like it were a cloak. Her neck was adorned by the familiar jewel he always saw and she was wearing a long, elegant gown. It was clear she was overdressed for such a mundane venue, it was a messy, slightly chaotic train platform, after all.

But Walburga Black would _never_ wear anything less than her best, no matter the occasion.

Mother had given him a hard look, critically analysing everything she saw. He wondered if she would say anything but she simply sniffed, raising her eyes. "Come my son, we have business." She raised a hand to his shoulder and he felt his gut clench. 

She only ever called him her son when there was bad news.

"Mother? Do we have any prior engagements? I'm quite tired from the journey."

She looked at him neutrally, but her lips tightened imperceptibly. "We have. The Dark Lord requests your presence, you will go as soon as he calls for you." Her eyes flicked down to his sleeve and he nodded once. "We shall be spending some time with the rest of the family at the Manor. Ensure you are prepared."

Regulus nodded again, silently watching his mother as she narrowed her eyes.

"You will not embarrass this family, Regulus. You will do as the Dark Lord pleases." She demanded and he refrained from flinching. He hated when she was angry at him. As much as he had grown to resent her, she was still his mother and a part of him loved her desperately and only wished for her to feel the same.

"I will act in a manner befitting one of my station." He replied, the response had always pleased her. The pride she held in their ancestry was immense and it was often in his best interest to appeal to her vanity.

"See that you do." Is all she said before turning, "Kreacher!" She snipped, "Take Regulus' trunk upstairs and unpack. Get started on dinner too, we don't have all day."

Kreacher nodded hurriedly, seeming to hold back tears of joy at Regulus' presence. "Yes Mistress!" The elf called and Regulus subtly inhaled, he could smell the scent of food from the kitchen so Kreacher had clearly been preparing already. Mother just liked to shout at him.

Regulus glanced around. Nothing in Grimmauld ever changed, the hallways were just as drafty and dark as always and the portraits only muttered amongst themselves as he passed them. Some of them called out to him, thanking the stars that 'the good son' had returned. One of the older ones snapped that he was a no good vagrant, ah old Ulysses, he had been a grumpy old man that had never procreated and he only had a space on their wall due to an unfortunate scorch mark that Sirius had created in a burst of accidental magic as a child.

He continued silently on, trudging up to his room behind Kreacher who was bouncing as he walked. It amused him to see the elf so happy and he felt that same fondness return.

"It's lovely to see you, my friend." Regulus smiled, crouching down to the elf's height. "I've missed you. How has everything been?"

He'd spent the rest of the evening in mild panic. He had sat on his bed while Kreacher puttered around, fidgeting as Regulus told him not to bother unpacking. He had made sure to order the elf not to punish himself for not complying with Walburga's bidding. Regulus had sat and listened to Kreacher informing him of the goings on. Not much had happened except a strange pulsing from the tapestry that had apparently sent Walburga into a fit of rage.

When he'd asked, Kreacher had only told him he did not know what had happened. She had apparently tried to demand an audience with someone but they had refused, telling her she would have to wait. 

According to Kreacher, this had not exactly eased her ire, but she had relented. This caused Regulus to startle, very few people could order Walburga Black around. In fact, other than the Dark Lord, only Arcturus Black, the current Lord Black and Regulus' paternal Grandfather was capable of this. Perhaps Pollux, Walburga's sire, but he doubted Mother would have listened, she was only polite to him out of the familial respect that all Black's were taught.

It was impressed upon all in the family, in fact. Even Sirius knew it was expected of him and he usually complied, surprisingly.

Regulus had spent days with a gnawing in his gut. Any roaring of the floo or fluttering of an owl delivering a letter caused him to flinch violently and tense, expecting Voldemort to come storming Grimmauld Place, wand in hand and fury in his veins.

When Mother had told him of Voldemort's request (read: demand) to see him, he had been terrified. Convinced, in fact, that he had learned of his deception. 

As it approached the day he was due to floo to Black Manor, something they always did a few hours before the family meal (which was always at exactly six in the evening), he began to get less tense.

Of course, that was exactly when his Mark suddenly flared.

He had been combing his hair, neatly ensuring the curls were not too dense but certainly not loose. He liked the casual, effortless but sophisticated look his brother had perfected and he's been slowly allowing his hair to grow out. It was now slightly shaggy, not enough to upset Mother but enough that it was a noticeable change. The top of his head was thick with soft curls and the sides tickled his ears, a contrast to the neater, slicked back styles he used to wear to please his mother.

When he'd began to lower his comb, he'd startled so harshly that he'd dropped it instead. The clattering echoed throughout his bathroom and he gripped his Mark with his right hand, gritting his teeth at the painful throbbing coming from his forearm.

Regulus had quickly called for Kreacher, tersely informing him of his summons and asking the elf to inform his mother. He couldn't apparate yet, but he knew where Voldemort would be staying. He hurried to the floo, distantly hearing his mother shouting at Kreacher and her hurried footsteps. Regulus cursed quietly, throwing the floo in the fireplace to avoid any confrontation with her and hissing out the floo address for Malfoy Manor.

Usually, the Dark Lord split his time between Lestrange Manor and Malfoy Manor. However, the Lestrange's had been caught in Knockturn Alley one too many times buying Dark items, something the ministry had noted. Bartemius Crouch had wanted to make an example of them but they'd managed to largely avoid punishment, only being given a fine that, to a pureblood family like the Lestrange's, was pittance.

Instead, it was now fairly obvious that the Lestrange's were being watched closely, at least for the next few months or so, and so Voldemort would be staying with the Malfoy's for the time being.

Upon reflection, Regulus couldn't help but find it terribly ironic. Such pride these people had in their lineages, in their wealth and their abilities, and yet they were kneeling willingly to an orphaned half-blood bastard child with no worth. It was funny, being inside his followers Manor's was the closest he'd ever get to feeling like a proper pureblood.

Regulus swiftly made his way to the ballroom that had been converted into the Dark Lord's throne room. The large room had high, arched windows that were covered by black silk drapery. The marble floor was polished and the same colour as the night sky. A magnificent black throne with a winged back was on the opposite end of the room upon a dais, silver serpents crawled up the base, settling at the top in an arch. Every so often, one would shift or let out a hiss, as if they were truly alive and waiting to strike. 

There was no seating for those he summoned, only a small step that was to be kneeled on when one approached him. Nobody was to stand on equal footing with the Dark Lord and if anyone dared, they would be swiftly reminded of who their _superior_ was.

As the door closed behind him, Regulus refrained from tightening his grip on his cloak and drawing his wand. The Dark Lord was immense in his power, lounging easily in his throne as he looked down upon his servant. He was completely white, blue veins prominent across his skin and he had the ability to dominate everything in his presence. Even the curtains seemed to shiver. Nobody else was in the room, though he knew Bellatrix was likely somewhere near the throne room, probably wondering why her Lord had called her younger cousin in and not herself.

"My Lord." He acknowledged, dropping to his knee and averting his eyes. Some were expected to kiss his robe hems but he refused. He was a Black and he would never do such a thing. Even when he had been initiated, he had merely ensured he kept his head angled down, refusing to damage his pride.

He could _never_ bow to such a filthy creature, especially knowing what he knew now.

It was only due to his worth as a Black that allowed him to keep his life for not doing such a thing. Voldemort seemed pleased enough that a scion of the House of Black was even kneeling before him, so he had graciously excused the slight impertinence. Bella hadn't, she'd snarled and dug her fingernails into his arm, hissing in his ear afterwards.

"Ah, young Regulus Black."

Regulus refrained from shivering. The serpentine hiss in Voldemort's voice was audible, he suspected he put the quality on for show sometimes, to see people quake in fear, which they often did. "My Lord, I felt your summons."

"Yes," The hiss was back, he seemed slightly amused. A part of him wanted to refer to Voldemort as 'it'; for he lacked all humanity. "You were very prompt. I have high hopes for you upon your graduation."

He felt relief fill him. Voldemort must still be ignorant to his treachery. 

"In fact, I wish for you to complete a task. To prove once and for all that I did not make a mistake in bestowing my Mark upon one so young." His voice held a tone of finality. Regulus' earlier relief was replaced by anxiety. Any task that would be given by this beast would likely be one that he could not complete. "I have heard great things from my dear Bellatrix, she tells me you are eager to actively join my service."

"Yes my Lord, I am most anxious to join your cause full time. I apologise, my schooling hinders my ability to participate." He added meekly. He ensured his eyes were firmly fixed on the ground as he responded.

Voldemort hummed, "You will join the newest recruits at the end of the week. You shall take part in some," The being before him gave a wicked smile, teeth bared like fangs and a cruel amusement in his crimson eyes, "Fun."

"Yes my Lord, may I inquire as to what kind of fun?"

He was thankful that the Dark Lord seemed to be in a festive mood, for he only tilted his head and made a careless motion, "Just playing with some of the toys I had some of my followers bring in. It is important the new recruits are capable, after all. You will prove the worth of your bloodline, I'm sure."

Regulus swallowed the nausea down. "I shall endeavour to do just that, my Lord. I am most eager to please you."

"Good." The dismissal was clear in his voice and Regulus carefully rose to his feet. "See Bella before you go, she is most anxious to see you." 

Regulus only nodded, ignoring the almost teasing tone, "Of course, my Lord."

He swiftly exited the room, expelling a breath of relief once the doors were firmly shut behind him. The nausea was still curling in his gut and his hands were shaking noticeably. Regulus closed his eyes, picturing Sirius and his proud grin, Remus and his warm smile and even Potter and his cheeky smirk. He wished he could cast a Patronus, something Sirius had guided him through to see if they may get a hint at his Animagus form.

Regulus hadn't told his brother that he already had a pretty good idea on what his form would be but had complied. He'd been so disappointed at the white wisps that had appeared but Sirius had assured him he was off to a good start. Apparently he and his friends had only learned the charm that year, and Regulus' strong tendrils were closer than they could have cast at that age, his brother had said proudly.

Just as he squared his shoulders to try and sneak off to the floo, heels clacking on the tiled floor reached him. Regulus turned, desperately hoping it would be someone, anyone but his cousin.

Alas, he was not so lucky. The manic grin and wild eyes were only ever seen on Bellatrix Lestrange. She had a way of moving that was predatory no matter who you were and he wondered, not for the first time, where the bright eyed little girl with the world at her fingertips had gone. When had she died and been replaced by this crazed imitator that delighted in torturing and murdering innocents.

"Ooh! It's itty bitty baby Reggie!" She crooned, a sickly sweetness in her voice that she _used_ to use only teasingly. _Oh what happened to you, Bella?_

Regulus faced her, "Hello Bella, it's good to see you."

"So formal," She pouted, casting a look at the room he'd just exited. Her hooded eyes darkened as she sighed, expelling a soft moan as she felt the presence of her Lord behind the door. Her Mark was proudly visible and she shivered as she pulled her eyes away from the door. "You have been to see our Lord, yes?"

"I have, he wishes for me to join in on the fun the new recruits will be having." Regulus felt himself gag slightly when she'd practically panted upon only seeing the entrance to his throne room. She really was too far gone.

She shrieked gleefully, "Finally! I've been hoping you'd man up and use your wand for once!" The mocking smirk was painfully familiar, "Always burying your nose in books... how boring! This will be more fun than you've ever had, the itty bitty babies always love it." She grinned, referring to the new recruits. 

Apparently it was also a secondary initiation of sorts so he was only vaguely surprised he had been invited. He could vaguely remember overhearing Rosier and Avery, who would likely be at this gathering as they were both purebloods of sacred families, talking about 'giving the mudbloods what they deserved'. It was a way of ensuring those that were likely to graduate soon were actually suitable for the cause. It also gave them a taste for what life would be like.

According to Mother, one of the sons of a cadet branch of the Selwyn line had vomited upon this secondary initiation. They'd Imperiused him into licking up his mess and he had then been placed with the muggles to be shown a lesson. Regulus didn't know what happened after that, likely something horrific, he hadn't bothered to ask.

"I'm sure I'll enjoy the festivities." Regulus said tersely, "If you'll excuse me-"

"Aw, so eager to run back to Mummy?" She taunted, "Always clutching her skirts. You'll have to grow a backbone sooner or later, Cousin. The Dark Lord has no need for weaklings." 

"I shall make my forefathers proud, I'm sure." He snapped. Bellatrix pursed her lips at him and he turned away, "I'll be seeing you at Black Manor, I'm sure?"

"Of course. I may be a Lestrange by name but I'll always be a Black." She raised her nose, "Unlike that blood traitor brother of yours."

Regulus' dislike at Sirius' removal from the family had always been well known and certain family members like Bellatrix liked to bring it up to upset him. He had always been close to Sirius, following him around like a baby duckling following their mother. Usually, Regulus would have gotten slightly flustered but largely let the insult slide. This time, thinking back to all the times he'd turned a blind eye to his brother's pain, he refused to do such a thing.

"Oh? And what of your sister, Cousin? Didn't she end up marrying a m-"

"How dare you!" She snarled, drawing her wand.

"You forget yourself, Bella. You are already married into another family and therefore have no place speaking to me like that. Learn to properly comport yourself when you come to the Manor, I dread to see how Lord Black will feel at your uncouthness." He sniped, swiftly turning his back on her and stalking towards the floo. He knew she would not dare to curse him, not when Narcissa was slowly approaching her enraged sister.

It was odd. The same way Sirius always softened around him was the way Bellatrix was with Narcissa. Her and Andromeda had always been on more equal footing, acting much like regular sisters of the same age even though Bella was older. With Narcissa, who was a few years younger, Bellatrix had taken on a protective role with her. It was strangely something he admired, even still, and Sirius had often bonded with Bella over this - both of them had beloved younger siblings and liked to complain about having to deal with them.

Once Regulus stumbled through the floo, only his shaking nerves allowing such a slip in his composure, he almost collapsed in relief. He was terrified for the week to come. He had a family dinner the next day and a Dark Arts book to somehow get his hands on. Adding to this, he now had to somehow get out of attending the Death Eater meeting at the end of the week.

He needed a drink.

"Kreacher!"

It's a shame he had never liked alcohol too much, pumpkin juice would do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder why Bellatrix was so insane. Canonically, she'd clearly been that way even before Azkaban considering how eager she was to throw herself in prison, she didn't even try to deny it and had been proud of her actions. I wonder why.
> 
> I'm also going to try and give a better explanation as to why the purebloods hate muggleborns so much because the canon answer was basically 'purebloods are all murderers because they hate muggles' but that's just.. weird and not true. So hopefully I'll be able to give a sort-of explanation!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! (I love Narcissa and I quite like to think Bellatrix really loved her sisters, even Andromeda and her leaving probably hurt her more than she'd like to admit.)
> 
> Also; Remus & Regulus..? Mayhaps!


	15. The Hierarchy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcturus Black has some surprising revelations, Regulus is shocked and Walburga is not amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh... introducing many new characters! I hope you all enjoy this one, it's about to get complicated.
> 
> Also... how WOULD you all feel about Regulus/Remus????

Regulus had awoken the next day feeling oddly blank.

Mother had been beyond thrilled upon his return. He had reluctantly told her of the Dark Lord's request and she had been overjoyed. She had told him he would finally be showing his worth and joining the others in the most noble of causes. He'd listened to her gush over the Dark Lord and his oh-so-important torturing sessions before she'd finally dismissed him. He'd spent the night going over the plan he and Sirius had come up with before finally falling asleep. Which admittedly, wasn't much of a plan.

As he lay on his bed, staring up at the enchanted stars on his ceiling, he wondered at just how much trouble he'd be in if he was found out. He didn't quite know, Arcturus Black was like many within the Black family, _very_ difficult to predict.

Grandfather was well known for his magical prowess and keen intelligence. He was a well known political figure that had turned into a recluse upon his wife's death. An oddity in their family, as usually Black's married with a large disregard for actual romantic feelings. Mother and Father certainly didn't love each other. 

Arcturus Black, however, had publicly adored Melania Macmillan. He had gone against his families wishes, marrying a Light inclined Hufflepuff witch, instead of the Selwyn daughter they'd planned. When Melania had been first brought into the family, she'd shown her worth easily. Her abilities with a wand, sharp tongue and clever mind had won the Blacks over. Grandfather never failed to set a place for Grandmother at the dinner table, something that always made him sad.

It was unfortunate his memories of her were slightly blurred. She'd died when he was roughly seven, so it had been almost a decade and he wondered what it would be like if she were still around. There was a distinct warmth that surrounded his memories of her, she'd always been so kind to him and Sirius and he knew she would have been a brilliant person to have in his life.

Perhaps if she had lived, Grandfather would have been more involved in family matters, he'd rather neglected them since her death. He couldn't much blame him, by all accounts, Melania Black had been a kind soul and an even better person. Grandfather grieved for her daily and he couldn't fault him for struggling, even now.

But maybe if he'd been more present in their lives, he wouldn't have been sold into the service of Voldemort. Perhaps, even, Sirius would never have left and Regulus wouldn't have to pretend he did not have a brother and be burdened with the expectations of being the sole Heir. Maybe Grandfather would have taken Walburga to task, he liked to think Grandmother would have.

Regulus shook himself from these thoughts. He was wearing his best dinner robes. Elegant, yet not too showy. He wore simple black robes with silver accessories that highlighted his stunning eyes. He'd been lucky, his eyes were much more distinct than the rest of his family; a mutation he wore proudly.

Most of the Blacks had either brown or blue eyes, but the main branch had a tendency to produce a distinct grey shade. Sirius had inherited Father's stormy grey eyes and Mother's icy blue had skipped them both - thank Merlin. Regulus on the other hand, had been blessed with molten silver irises.

It was likely going to be a dull evening and Regulus groaned to himself as he remembered the plan. Sirius had suggested he go for the book after dinner, when everyone - particularly the adults - would either retire to bed or to the parlour for drinks.

Sirius had reminded him that usually there would be too many spiked glasses of elven wine and gossiping between most of the dinner guests. Regulus hadn't had any other plan and agreed this was likely the best time to try and swipe the book. He had mentally gone over what he knew, which was disappointingly little.

He had asked Sirius for ideas and he had only told him to use diagnostic spells and perhaps a house-elf which Regulus had already planned on. Hopefully Grandfather would be too drunk in his grief stricken misery to notice the wards being stretched, as horrible as that sounded.

Mother had sharply called for him and they'd all gone through the floo. She was wearing a high necked, lace bodice gown in a stunning emerald green. Her wrists were adorned with a variety of jewels, as were her fingers. The same heirloom hung heavily on her neck and she had looked as beautiful as she always did, though she was starting to show her true age, he'd noticed. Father too looked handsome in a simple set of black robes that showed his impressive physique for someone nearing fifty years old.

It had always amused him that Mother was four years older than Father, as for many years she'd looked at least ten years younger. However, her age seemed to be catching up with her and he wondered if it had to do with the stress and embarrassment of her Heir running away.

Regulus wondered how she'd look when he inevitably did the same.

It wasn't nice of him to think about, but both Sirius and Remus had been trying to impress upon him the importance of letting her go. He needed to let the idea that Mother would suddenly turn around and love him go, for it would never happen. It was like trying to cling onto the vapours of a cloud. Useless and impossible, so why bother?

On the other side of the floo, Black Manor welcomed them. They were the main branch of the family, so the Magic there was always a little more willing to let them through. He'd heard tales of the Family Magic being able to distinguish those that were unfit to be in the family and immediately rolled his eyes when he remembered a tale Sirius had spun of a scion of the house being boiled alive by the wards. At the time, he'd been roughly four and had promptly burst into tears, leading Sirius to hurriedly try and calm him down, but now the memory only made him fondly exasperated.

However, he did know the Family Magic was more potent here than anywhere. It was the main residence of the Black family and had been for centuries. Generation after generation of Lord Blacks had walked these halls, adding their own touch to the wards. Many believed Grimmauld to be the epicentre of the Black family, as if such a muggle area would ever be. It had always confused him that Mother was happy to stay in the centre of muggle London, he found it conflicted with her view that muggles could infect others simply by being around them.

The wards blanketed him, however. Sirius had always said the wards were oddly like a warm hug, and Regulus was inclined to agree. In Grimmauld, the wards were malignant and piercing. At Black Manor, they seemed to carefully caress and welcome you. Though, that may just be for them. He'd heard Mother complain about an oily texture ruining her robes and Narcissa always seemed to shift uncomfortably when she walked in. Andromeda had said they seemed to be unsure of her too, but they seemed to despise Bellatrix, jabbing her roughly every time she entered.

Familial Magic was a tricky thing. The centuries of different Blacks had all adapted the Magic slightly, but nobody would influence the Magic more so than the _current_ Lord Black. He supposed this meant the way the wards reacted to everyone was indicative of how Arcturus Black felt about them all.

Hopefully that meant Grandfather actually liked him.

One could only hope that would mean he was less likely to chop his hands off for pilfering his library.

Arcturus Black came into the entrance room with a certain stiff politeness that was all too familiar. He turned to Father first, greeting his son with a short nod but a slight pause followed before he greeted his daughter-in-law. Walburga was only _just_ on this side of cordial, the steel in her eyes belied her true feelings however, and Regulus knew for certain that it _was_ Lord Black that had dismissed her, ignoring her demands for an audience with him. As it was with a strange look in her eye that Mother greeted the current Lord Black. 

Grandfather curtly skirted over her intense gaze, softening as he looked at Regulus. "Ah," He had a hoarseness in his voice that spoke of how little he truly used it. No use conversing with nobody around, of course. "Regulus, my other grandson." He greeted. Regulus wasn't upset that he inserted the word 'other' before grandson, for it was not an insult directed at him. The sharp look he gave Walburga and Orion showed who he was truly aiming the barb at.

"Grandfather." Regulus bowed, he held more respect for Arcturus Black than he did many of his family members. He was one of the few with an actual spine, after all. "It is good to see you."

"Yes," Grandfather agreed, "It is a shame, however, that your brother is not here. I had hoped he would be. There is a matter that must be righted." 

Walburga tutted, "That boy is no son of mine. He will no longer be welcome on any Black property."

"Is that so?" Grandfather asked, looking down at Regulus who barely refrained from flinching. "It is odd, Regulus does not seem to be wearing the Heir ring, so I wonder what that means."

"The _boy_ has not yet returned it." Mother spat out, "I shall write to Gringotts-"

"No need." Grandfather assured, "I would like to speak with young Regulus. Orion, take your wife through to the parlour, I believe Alphard is the only one yet to arrive. Unsurprising." The only _slight_ disapproval was a testament to how much Grandfather actually seemed to _like_ Alphard. He'd once heard him refer to the man as 'an oddity'. Most others would agree Alphard was more along the lines of a vagrant that never truly settled and had spent too much time with Aunt Cassie, yet was much less likely to rip your tongue out and let you choke on your blood than she.

Mother's lips pursed and her eyes hardened. Before she could open her mouth and likely make an embarrassment of herself, Father grasped her elbow and lightly but firmly tugged her away. It was only ever in the presence of his father that Orion ever bothered to act like a person again, he seemed to covet the man's approval and understood that if Arcturus was so inclined, he could ruin them both.

When Regulus was left alone with Grandfather, he took a moment to survey the older man. He still stood tall and proud as ever, but he seemed to be very close to losing his composure. The large Lordship ring was a glowing smooth obsidian that Regulus had always thought looked heavy. Sirius and Regulus used to joke about weighing the ring to see if their suspicions were correct and Regulus used to laugh that one day Sirius would have to find out.

"Come." Is all Grandfather said, swiftly turning and striding in the direction of the door. Regulus hurriedly followed, carefully flexing his occlumency shields to make sure they were still there. Was it possible any kind of ill intent towards the man was picked up by the wards? Had the Magics alerted him that someone was planning to attempt a robbery?

As they snaked through the winding halls, Regulus felt strangely calm. It was possible he would be about to lose a limb but he felt so at peace here. The walls were a soft cream colour and only the borders were the dark shades so often associated with their family. The majority of the inside was lighter, something that had changed when Grandfather and Grandmother became Lord and Lady Black. In the photographs he'd seen, Black Manor used to be an homage to Slytherin, with black accents. It was only when Grandfather took this home as his that it became much more jovial inside.

Green and silver was still very prominent, practically all of the furniture were in these shades, but the whole Manor felt much more liveable. Unlike Grimmauld.

Sirius and he used to love coming to the Manor. It gave them a much needed break from the doom and gloom they usually lived in and he used to enjoy cooking with Grandmother. She was always so pleased to teach him a new recipe and Regulus was always eager to give the elves a break from their work. Mother had caught them once and he could remember how displeased she had been, incensed that a son of hers was doing manual labour.

Grandmother had been like a viper. Practically spitting venom as she cut into Walburga, making it clear that it was a good thing her children had been born with a heart as she seemed to lack one completely. Mother had refused to take them back to the Manor for months and had sent a stinging hex so powerful at his knuckles they'd been swollen for a week and Sirius had had to write all of his assignments their tutor had appointed them for him.

He could remember how upset he'd been at Grandmother Melania's funeral. The sky had been dreary and he remembered clutching onto Sirius as he wept. His brother had been firm in his stance, softly consoling him as the procession continued. Grandfather had been like a statue, unmoving and completely solid as he accepted the guests condolences before he'd retreated into the Manor. When he'd next seen him, Arcturus Black had been a husk of his former self.

"Sit." Arcturus demanded as he entered his office. Regulus startled momentarily before complying and was discomfited when the other man continued to stand, that wasn't a good sign. "I would have brought you in sooner, Regulus, but your mother keeps a very tight leash on you. I also felt it was best to get everything in order first and by the time I was ready, you were back at Hogwarts."

Regulus swallowed. "You wished to speak with me, Grandfather?"

"Yes. Do not look so uncertain, I am not upset with you." He assured, but there was a rigidity in his stance that conflicted with his words. Regulus shuffled his feet slightly and his grandfather frowned. "I regret many things. I have not been as involved in the family's affairs as I should have been."

Regulus blinked, wide eyed. "Grandfather?"

"Do not fret, young one. I have always been fond of you and your brother. I only regret that I was not around more. Next, I hear that your brother has run away from home. I wondered if perhaps it was for a similar reason that Andromeda left." Grandfather mused, "I was against her disownment. But my hands were tied. Cygnus was very thorough and she _had_ broken the marriage contract with the Malfoy boy. However, Narcissa's engagement to Lucius should have smoothed over any wrinkles."

Regulus held his tongue as he thought. This was true. He had known that Andromeda had broken a marriage contract but he hadn't known it had been Lucius Malfoy that she had been betrothed to. Narcissa had always held a candle for the older boy and he wondered how she must have felt knowing her older sister would be marrying the boy she loved. She was probably relieved when Andromeda ran away with Ted Tonks.

"Walburga has attempted to disown Sirius." 

"Attempted?" Regulus latched on to that word. "Mother blasted him from the tapestry, I watched her do it."

"Ah, yes. However," Arcturus gestured to the large scroll he had picked up. He laid it down on the ornate desk in front of Regulus, who leaned over to observe, "As you can see, Sirius is still very much the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. I have blocked Walburga's attempt to disown him."

Regulus gaped. This changed everything. Mother was so certain that once Sirius had left, the title of Heir would pass to Regulus. Even he and Sirius had assumed the same, they'd been confused that the ring was still in Sirius' possession however. Now, Regulus knew why.

"You do not agree with Sirius' disownment?" Regulus asked cautiously.

Grandfather clicked his tongue, "No. Of course I don't. The boy is brilliant and has shown his affinity for magic from a young age, the Family Magics like him too. They're still trying to fix the tapestry in Grimmauld Place I believe."

"That's what set Mother into a rage." Regulus realised, "That's why she demanded to see you."

"Yes." Grandfather responded dryly, "She's rather forgotten her place. It was her disownment of Sirius, or I should say, her _attempted_ disownment of my Heir, that made me realise just how I've neglected my duties. But rest assured, that will change. Starting with this." He nodded towards the family tree on the scroll, "This is the main copy that all Paterfamilias have access to. This is what is reflected upon the tapestry in Grimmauld and in many other Black properties."

Regulus nodded carefully, "How were you able to block the disownment? Mother made quite the spectacle..." He trailed off unsurely.

"That she did." The elder man scoffed, "Such dramatics. As I said, she forgets herself. She may be able to denounce Sirius Orion Black as her son, but she will never have the power to disown him from the family. Not while I still draw breath. Sirius is a healthy young male that has not done anything to completely embarrass our family. The Familial Magics agree."

"But... isn't him running away to the Potter's grounds for expulsion?"

"Of course not. Your mother is a vengeful witch and I must apologise, for I can only guess at how she has treated you both for years. That too will change." Arcturus looked every bit the Lord Black that he was in that moment. "Sirius was merely seeking sanctuary from her mistreatment. Besides, moving in with a friend is not exactly the worst thing he could have done. The Potters are a well known pureblood family, after all."

Regulus blinked slowly, mind still whirring. "But what of Andromeda?"

"Ah. Sadly, as I said, my hands were tied. She broke the marriage contract set in place and she did not give a proper explanation as to why. If she had come to me and asked to marry the Tonks boy I would have happily complied."

Regulus startled, "But- he is a muggleborn!"

"I am not the blood purist many seem to think I am." The man huffed, "True, I believe we purebloods - we _Blacks,_ specifically - have a worth to our blood that could not be rivalled. However, the odd muggleborn or half-blood within the family would not be detrimental to our line. Andromeda is the second daughter of a cadet branch, she is given much more freedom, in that regard. I regret allowing Cygnus to draw up the contracts, that Lestrange boy..." He muttered to himself.

Regulus swallowed thickly. He had always thought Grandfather must have been more relaxed in his views, he had married a Light witch after all, but he hadn't known his views were so startlingly like his own. "Bellatrix seems pleased with the match." Regulus replied, still keeping a cautious tone. This hadn't gone how he'd expected.

"Bellatrix is degrading herself and her whole bloodline by bowing to that so-called Dark Lord of hers." Arcturus snapped. "And don't think I don't know you met with him yesterday. A Black bowing to anyone but their Head of House is _despicable."_

Regulus flinched, "I apologise, Grandfather."

"Do _not_ apologise. Let me see your Mark." Grandfather demanded.

Regulus cringed. He didn't want to show his grandfather the stain on his skin, but he could not deny his Paterfamilias. Regulus shakily raised his arm, presenting the Mark to him. 

Arcturus Black's nose was wrinkled in disgust. He drew his wand and carefully waved it over the Mark. The Mark wriggled in displeasure, the snake curling, coiling in on itself to avoid the oppressive weight of the enraged Lord's magic. "Humiliating."

And it was. Regulus could feel his neck reddening and his jaw tensed to keep himself from letting out a mortified whimper. He could feel the magic of the Mark burning into his skin and he bit his tongue at the pain it brought.

"Sirius always had more sense. I was always proud of him. So refreshing, finally, a perfect Black. He would never bow to anyone." 

Regulus had never felt so ashamed. "I-"

"However." Grandfather snapped, a warmth creeping into his voice. "I was always just as proud of you. Both of you were far different than many of the Blacks before you. My dearest Melania," He swallowed at saying her name and Regulus could hear the grief in his voice, "She was always so fond of you both. I believe you were _her_ favourite, in fact. She always enjoyed your softness, but she worried for you endlessly. She was sure Walburga would ruin you. I should have known, my dearest was never wrong in these matters."

The younger boy startled.

"Forgive me for saying so, but Sirius always held my favour. He was much like myself as a child. I always lamented how weak Orion was once Walburga got her claws in him. Never once did he try to deny the match. His own cousin, he should have known better." Grandfather tutted, "I had hoped he would fight me, or Pollux at least, but no. He has not an ounce of will in him. I thought we were doomed, until Sirius came along."

The fondness in Arcturus' voice astounded Regulus. He looked at his grandfather with a shocked expression.

"Do refrain from gaping. It surely does not surprise you. Sirius is the quintessential Black, he is everything a Black should aspire to be and has been from a very young age. Walburga only despises the fact that she can not control him, not in the way she always has with you. I was certain with Sirius' presence you would be safe, but that does not seem to be the case." He gestured to Regulus' arm. 

"Mother believes this is a most noble cause."

"And you?" Arcturus quipped, "It is interesting. Bellatrix's _brand_ is as Black as her name. Yours, however, seems to be fading at the edges and the colouring is more grey. I wonder what that says about your loyalties to the cause."

Regulus pressed his lips together.

"Speak freely, young one. Nobody else is here."

"I do not agree with the Dark Lord's methods, nor his madness. He believes in subjugating all those with muggle blood. I have heard tales of him murdering purebloods that refuse, _not_ just the blood-traitor families. His actions, his beliefs, will ruin us. Magical Britain will fall victim to his chaos."

Arcturus eyed him speculatively. He was carefully watching Regulus' expression. "You have conviction in your words. You truly believe this?"

"I do."

Grandfather leaned back, a pleased smile on his lips. "I knew there was a reason, other than my devotion to Melania, that I had always favoured you after Sirius." He hummed, "This is good."

"Grandfather?" He asked, both stunned and ridiculously pleased. He could feel a warmth curling in his gut and he refrained from jumping to his feet and kissing the man's cheeks in gratitude. Apparently his family wasn't _all_ crazy after all.

"I shall be having words with the family. It's high time I make my stance clear. Bowing to a no-named Dark Lord is unbecoming of a Black. Your brother should be making his return shortly-"

"Excuse me?" Regulus squeaked. "Sirius will be here?"

"Well, yes. I have some rather large announcements to make. I do believe it may cause quite the ruckus and I doubt he'd wish to miss it. I sent an invitation to the Potters days ago. He sent back a missive ensuring he would be here. Alphard will be bringing him."

Regulus' heart was pounding. His brother would be back in the family and apparently Grandfather had some more news. Oh, he knew this would cause more than just a ruckus. Only yesterday, Bella had been sniping about his 'blood-traitor' brother, but according to their Paterfamilias, Sirius was the only one he was truly proud of.

"You will be able to drop the act after this. I can see your true loyalties have always lied with your brother." Arcturus added softly, laying a hand on Regulus' shoulder. "I truly apologise for my lapse in my duties. Losing my lovely Melania-" His gaze softened further, drifting to a photograph on the corner of his desk. It was of Melania Black, smiling softly at the camera with two small boys sitting either side of her. Regulus was startled further when he realised the two boys were he and Sirius. 

Sirius was on Melania's left, leaning over every so often to poke at Regulus' cheek before sending a beaming grin at the camera. Regulus was scrunching his nose at his brother and batting at his hand before he too would send a soft smile at the camera. Melania would take turns looking between them both and sending a cheeky look at the camera, fondly tilting her head as she righted the boys for the photograph.

A lump grew in his throat as he thought of how happy he could have been had Melania lived. Her warm, kind nature would not have allowed for either he or Sirius to be mistreated and certainly by the time Hogwarts rolled around she likely would have lost her temper and abducted the boys for good. 

"In losing her, I lost a part of me. It was not until this past summer that I realised how she would have taken me to task for neglecting my duties. Particularly, for neglecting you boys. She always wished she could have taken you from Walburga, but as much as we both suspected, we had no grounds to take you from your seemingly loving parents." Grandfather lamented, "Alphard tells me Sirius wishes to find a place for you both to live, I will protect you from Walburga's wrath. Not that you'll need it." He added amusedly.

Regulus felt the ominous flaring of the wards at their Lord's cruel amusement and he wondered just what that meant. Grandfather had something in the works, something that would likely shake the Black family to their very core.

After Grandfather had given Regulus a minor heart attack, he had sent him on to the parlour. Mother had immediately accosted him, demanding to know what had been said but Father had reminded her that it was not her place to question their Head of House. She had pursed her lips and turned back to Narcissa, questioning when she planned to give the Malfoy's an Heir.

Narcissa had pinkened and Lucius beside her had set his jaw firmly, responding that it would happen eventually. The subtle dig at Narcissa from Mother had irritated him but his Lord's earlier words came to him. Something big would be happening soon and he couldn't wait to see it unfold.

The parlour was crawling with Blacks. Of the main branch, Lucretia and her husband Ignatius Prewett were in attendance, they usually only attended every few years and he was surprised at their presence as they'd made sure to show their faces last year after at least three consecutive absences. Grandfather must have warned his daughter that change would be happening. 

The secondary branch was almost all in attendance. Pollux and his wife Irma, Cassiopeia, Cygnus and his wife Druella and their remaining daughters with their respective husbands. Uncle Alphard was yet to arrive, but he knew he would be there too.

Those that were married into Light families generally didn't turn up, like Callidora Longbottom and Dorea Potter. He doubted either of them ever would, unless something big happened. They'd both attended Grandmother's funeral, lamenting the loss of the best Lady Black in a long time. They weren't here today either, unsurprising.

He was still terribly uncertain about how to get his hands on the tome he needed, but if Sirius would be here soon, hopefully they could think something up together. For the meantime, he decided to just enjoy the peace while it lasted, for it wouldn't once Sirius arrived. Mother kept shooting displeased looks at the door and he knew it was because Arcturus was clearing avoiding her.

Mother must have been in front of the tapestry and seen the Family Magics trying to correct the imagery. For the Heir to the Black family was certainly not disowned and therefore his rightful place on the tapestry must be known. It must have sent her into a rage and he suspected she would very likely curse Sirius the moment she saw him.

Luckily, they were in Black Manor, where Walburga Black did not have the ability to do such a thing. Not if Lord Black denied her the ability to do so. Familial Magic was dangerous like that, it left the Lord of the House with immense power, something that usually went to their heads. It even gave the Heir a lot of power. Power which Orion rarely bothered to use and Regulus wondered just how Sirius would go about using it.

"Oh honestly, where _is_ Alphard?" Druella tutted, "He has absolutely no respect for this family!"

Regulus refrained from rolling his eyes. Druella was so dramatic and so _very_ whiny. He couldn't stand her, honestly. But her and Cygnus seemed to get on surprisingly well and Andromeda said although she complained a lot, Druella wasn't a terrible mother. _Not like Walburga_ , she didn't need to say.

"You know how he is," Cassiopeia chirped, "Just my type of man! If he weren't my own kin..." She trailed off with a vicious smirk. "He's certainly handsome enough."

Regulus snickered softly, he did enjoy Aunt Cassie. She was always there with an inappropriate joke or a dark tale to weave. Mother did not seem to agree, "He embarrasses us all."

"Oh shut it, Wally." Cassie rolled her eyes, "It's a wonder you ever found a man willing to stay with you for more than five seconds after you opened your mouth."

Mother snarled but her stiff shoulders gave away her slight embarrassment, "Excuse you? I believe out of the two of us it is _I_ that has a husband, unlike-"

Cassiopeia laughed gaily, throwing her head back and just daring Mother to do something to the proffered weak spot. "Oh, you do make me laugh! Whatever would I need a husband for? If I wished to have a disappointing lump of flesh attached to my name, I'd have conceived." She grinned sharply and Mother flushed. It was a jab at Sirius, of course, but Cassie didn't mean it. She'd always adored Sirius and Regulus knew she was only insulting him to get to Walburga.

It was amusing. Cassiopeia was still exceedingly beautiful and even though she was a decade older than Mother, she hardly looked it. There was a vibrancy in her that he highly suspected was the wild streak of Black madness that seemed to infect everyone eventually. It was something she was open about, controlling her madness in a way that worked for her. Everyone had it, even Sirius. His cruel, vindictive nature was how the madness had settled within him. Regulus wasn't so sure about how it manifested within _himself,_ perhaps in his lack of empathy for many of those around him.

"Come now, Great Auntie." Bellatrix crooned, "Nothing wrong with having settled down."

"Or just settling." Cassie sniped, casting a disdainful glance at Rodolphus. It was custom for those invited to bring their spouses, so unfortunately, Regulus had to put up with the older Lestrange brother's presence. 

Bellatrix flushed, "Now-"

"Enough." Arcturus boomed as he stepped into the parlour. "Dinner shall be at six, sharp. Use the washrooms to refresh yourselves, otherwise, proceed into the dining room." Regulus didn't bother going to the bathroom, he was eager to see this dinner through. A glance at the large wooden clock mounted to the wall in the dining room, a stark contrast to the astronomical clock that was in the entrance hall, told him they only had thirty or so minutes to wait. 

Regulus strode over to the seat he'd always had. There was a strict order in which the Black family were expected to sit. The Lord, or highest ranking male in the line would always sit at the head of the table. At these dinners it was always Grandfather, but at Grimmauld this was Father's seat. To his left, the empty seat stayed, in memory of his wife. 

Most families likely didn't keep this seat free, usually the next highest ranking female would take the seat or perhaps if the Lord remarried, his new wife would take this place of honour. However, Arcturus had worshipped Melania Macmillan, and once he married her he made it very clear nobody would ever be able to take her place. For much smaller dinners, Arcturus and Melania would both sit on opposite the ends of the table, but now Grandfather never bothered for these regular small meals. Not since he lost his wife.

The right hand of the Lord was for his Heir. This had always been Orion Black's seat. Traditionally, the seats beside him would then follow down the line in order of rank. Mother would sit beside Father, with Sirius beside her and Regulus rounding off their small family, Lucretia and Ignatius would then finish off their side. Opposite Walburga and beside Melania was always Pollux's seat as the eldest of the secondary branch of the family. His wife, Irma, would sit beside him and Cassiopeia beside her. From there, Cygnus, Druella and their three children would sit in descending order.

Alphard would sometimes not attend these dinners as he was usually on the other side of the globe with his flavour of choice for the month, therefore he usually just sat beside Regulus, to balance the numbers on the sides of the table. Mother had always hated it, believing that their side of the table was reserved for the main line, but Arcturus always excused it.

However, this dinner was different.

As they neared the table, Regulus noted place cards had been placed.

"Ah, keen eyes, young Regulus." Grandfather complimented warmly, swiftly crossing the room to the head of the table. "Please look at the names by each seat, there is a new change of place, for some."

Walburga immediately whirled to face him, "What is the meaning of this?" She demanded.

"Calm yourself, Walburga." Cassie rolled her eyes, flicking her eyes over the cards before she grinned. "It's high time things changed around here."

"And change they will." Alphard's voice sounded from the doorway. He wore the same navy blue dress robes he always did, the Black family crest proudly emblazoned on the left side of his chest. Regulus desperately looked around for Sirius in the doorway behind him, but did not see anyone. He wondered where his brother was, as Grandfather had _assured_ him Alphard would bring him along.

"Alphard!" Cassie crooned, "I've missed you, you haven't visited me in a while." She admonished lightly.

Alphard looked slightly abashed, "Ah, yes. I've been enjoying the company of a friend recently. We've been hiking through a mountain range in Nepal-"

Orion suddenly cut in, "Father? What is this?"

Regulus' insides squirmed. Father was looking down at the table, specifically the card placed in front of the Heir's seat. From what Regulus could see, it was blank.

"You have been moved, Orion."

Walburga stormed over, "What? Why?" She glanced at the space where she would usually sit, lifting the card and throwing it back on the table. "Why is Regulus sitting here?"

Regulus groaned internally at all the eyes that flicked to him. He had been placed beside the Heir's seat, curious. Regulus' mind was desperately trying to work out what Grandfather had done, he hated being surprised.

"Do cease your shrieking Wally, it is terribly unbecoming." Cassiopeia sniffed, moving to stand behind her new chair.

The others in the room seemed to shuffle. Everyone slowly trickled closer to the table, glancing at the cards and arranging themselves as expected. Many of his family member's seemed displeased with the alterations, but most just seemed confused. After all, changing the seating arrangements meant there had been a change in the hierarchy of the family. 

On the left side of the table, Melania Black's seat remained. Unsurprising, nothing would prompt Grandfather to change that. Beside her seat was Cassiopeia, interesting, followed by Pollux and Irma. Pollux seemed extremely put out by his younger sister being before him and the frown he was sending his cousin showed his displeasure. Cygnus and Druella then followed, but surprisingly Narcissa was beside her mother, not Bellatrix. Their respective husbands sat to the right of both girls, meaning Bellatrix was two seats further down than she usually was. Her barely repressed anger was thick in the air. Narcissa seemed to be sending unsure glances at her sister, alternating between this and looking inquisitively at the Lord of the House.

Regulus shuffled over to his seat, slowly sitting and glancing down his side of the table. Mother and Father were still standing but Lucretia and her husband Ignatius were sat beside Alphard, who was to Regulus' left. A glance at the empty Heir's seat beside Regulus and the two cards in front of the seats on Ignatius' left made his stomach grow cold.

_Oh._

"Why have we been shunted down to the end of the table, Father?" Orion asked steadily, but his voice cracked slightly.

Regulus barely restrained himself from bursting out into hysterical laughter. Arcturus Black had done _something_ alright. Something that hadn't been done in a very long time.

"Take your seat, Orion." Arcturus responded smoothly from his position at the head of the table.

"There has clearly been a mistake!" Mother insisted.

The family was waiting quietly, watching with wide eyes as the spectacle before them unfolded. Cassie and Alphard seemed delighted at the change in events, sharing amused glances and passing something under the table. Likely betting on how this would play out. Regulus was tempted to pass over a galleon on Mother fainting.

Orion nodded cautiously, "I must agree, Father. There must be some kind of mistake-"

"Oh, I don't know about that." A voice called, cutting Orion Black off sharply, "I think things are exactly as they should be."

Regulus watched as the whole family stared incredulously at the figure in the entryway. The pristine, black robes clung to his brother's tall form. He painted a truly striking picture, with the shadows seeming to create a blanket behind him, highlighting every line of his body. Sirius wore a cheeky but extremely satisfied smirk, Heirship ring glinting as he strode forward. 

Sirius dropped carelessly into the Heir's seat, handsome face still wearing that ridiculous smirk. His eyes softened as he glanced at Regulus before addressing the family as a whole.

"Well? Have you missed me?"

And chaos _reigned._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I explained that well enough, tell me your thoughts!
> 
> I do always enjoy a slightly darker Sirius, I'll admit, but I'll try not to make him too dark. He won't be cutting throats left and right, but he's certainly less likely to flinch at the Unforgiveables or using dark curses, let me warn you all.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! <3


	16. The Banishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcturus banishes someone from the family and Regulus thinks a whole bunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I feel the need to warn you all, there is a lot of dark moments casually thrown into this fic. So please be cautious!
> 
> Also, I'm making this Remus/Regulus 'cause.. just.. yes? It's okay if you see Regulus as asexual (sometimes I prefer when he is aro/ace as I feel like it fits his character, but I feel like for this story it's.. calling to me.. and Remus is such a sweet boy and I can't pass up the opportunity to have protective big brother Sirius.. c'mon!)

As soon as Sirius made his little quip, the room erupted. Alphard and Cassie burst out laughing, Pollux and Cygnus wore identical frowns with Druella gaping at the newcomer in the room. Bellatrix had shot to her feet, trembling with rage while Mother ranted and raved, waving her wand around that she'd drawn. Bella too had drawn her wand and Rodolphus seemed to be contemplating leaving, likely sensing this change may not be good for him. Lucius seemed to be having similar thoughts, quietly murmuring to Narcissa who only kept a cool façade as she watched her sister and her aunt.

The rest of the rooms occupants seemed stunned into silence, clearly not having expected the disowned Heir to not only turn up, but be welcomed by Lord Black as his chosen successor.

Because, that is what Arcturus Black had done. He had not only made it clear that Sirius was the Heir of the family, but he had completely skipped over Orion Black, his son, in the line of succession. Orion's placement at the table reflected that he was no longer _needed_ as Heir. That Sirius would be leading the family upon Arcturus' death. In an even bigger slight to his son, Arcturus had ensured his daughter Lucretia was sat _before_ his son, bypassing protocol.

"-dare you enter this home! Any place within the Black family was lost to you the moment I burned your face from my tapestry!" Mother had her wand pointed at Sirius who was lounging calmly in his seat. He only smiled and raised his hand, wriggling his finger to show the Heir ring off. Mother shrieked, "Filthy thief! You will give that-"

"Enough, Walburga." Arcturus roared. "You will sit down. You too Orion. Bellatrix, sit." He added. Both his commanding tone and the weight of the order from their Paterfamilias forced them to sit. 

Grandfather stood, slowly taking in everyone's expressions and Regulus felt a hand carefully reach out from his right side. The hand slowly grasped his, squeezing reassuringly. Regulus clutched the hand desperately, feeling his brother's thumb press into the pulse point on his wrist. His brother stroked his hand comfortingly, feeling the racing of his hear in his fluttering pulse.

"As you all can see, there has been some changes. At the end of June of this year, Walburga Black _attempted_ to disinherit my chosen Heir, Sirius Orion Black from the family." He raised a hand to stifle any protests, "This attempt was unsuccessful."

The chatter picked up, everyone seemed to have an opinion, even those that largely kept out of family business like Pollux, Irma, Lucretia and Ignatius all seemed flustered. Regulus could feel Alphard beside him stifling a laugh and Cassie was positively preening.

"Quiet." Grandfather ordered, "You will see that Sirius is very much still my Heir. In fact, he is my chosen Heir before Orion. Sirius, I'm sure you have chosen an Heir for yourself?"

Sirius hummed, "If something were to happen to me, Regulus would of course inherit the title."

Regulus squeezed the hand in his. He was now his brother's Heir. Of course, that was unsurprising, but it startled him. For years, Orion had been set to inherit first, then Sirius. By this time, Sirius would likely already have children and therefore Regulus was unlikely to ever actually take up the mantle. When Sirius had been disowned, Mother had assured him his time would come, something that had always filled him with dread.

He'd _never_ wanted to be Heir. Luckily, Sirius knew that, and it was likely he'd ensure he had a child or perhaps a godchild he blood adopted that would stop Regulus from having to inherit.

"Preposterous! I blasted his filthy face from the tapestry! I sent owls to Gringotts-"

"Gringotts contacted me upon receiving those owls, Walburga. The tapestry in Grimmauld Place is not the original, therefore the Goblins sent a missive to inform me that I would have to use the main copy to reflect your decision. However, I refused. I informed them there had been a mistake and that I would deal with it, any letters you sent them about the proceedings were to be ignored and any family matters were to be diverted to me."

"But, Father, you gave me control of the families affairs when-"

"When my dear Melania passed, I am aware. However," Grandfather hissed, sneering at his son, "I was not aware of just how far you had fallen, Orion. It is utterly disgraceful. The way in which you have conducted matters is an embarrassment. Not only did you willingly run off a perfectly good Heir, one which is much more capable and a better representation of what a Black should be than any of you." The room shifted slightly, many gaping in shock at Sirius who Regulus noted didn't even appear smug, keeping a cool, aloof facade.

"Not only did you do this," Grandfather continued after letting his words hang in the air for a moment. "But you also willingly sold members of this family into the service of a no-named psychopath of unknown origins! Including your youngest son, at only _fifteen!"_ Grandfather roared, "How dare you do such a thing! Your mother would be sickened at the sight of you!" He spat, trembling as Orion flinched at the mention of his deceased mother.

Sirius squeezed his hand tightly, veins pulsing in anger as his jaw clenched. Bellatrix shrieked indignantly, "The Dark Lord-"

"Is nothing but a tyrant. I have seen a Dark Lord rise and fall already." Grandfather reminded her, referring to Grindelwald. "There have been _countless_ Dark Lord's throughout history, your precious Lord is nothing but another madman with a superiority complex that orders his sycophantic followers around like servants." Grandfather sneered, "You may be a Lestrange in name, but you are a Black by birth. You should know better than to _ever_ bow to anyone but your Paterfamilias. It appals me, truly, that so many of you here see no issue in this unknown tyrant's conduct."

Bellatrix had splotchy red stains on her cheeks from anger, "The Dark Lord is the Heir of Slytherin! Salazar Slytherin's noble bloodline continues solely through-"

"Salazar Slytherin's bloodline ended with the Gaunt line decades ago. Either your Lord is lying or he is a bastard." Grandfather snapped, "Enough of this. I will not allow any Blacks to take the mark of another. You are to choose, if you carry the Mark of this Dark Lord, you will either renounce your right to the Black family name, holdings and Magics. If you wish to keep your birth right, you will instead denounce the new Dark Lord and no longer hold any loyalties to him _or_ his cause."

The room was eerily quiet. Bellatrix was shaking in her indignation and her rage, Narcissa had gone completely white and Cygnus was breathing deeply. Mother and Father were rigid, both still glancing (or glaring, in Mother's case) at Regulus and specifically Sirius incredulously. Those that had never held any inclinations towards Voldemort just watched silently.

Rodolphus cleared his throat, "What of those that have married into the Black family?"

Grandfather snorted, "I care very little about how you wish to conduct your business. Unless you are a Black - by blood or by name - then I have no interest in what you wish to do."

Regulus could practically hear all those that either carried the Mark or were sympathetic to the cause thinking. To denounce the Dark Lord would be a death sentence to many, however, to give up ones birth right was in some ways _worse_ than death. It left you with nothing and Grandfather was even threatening to relinquish the ability to use their Family Magics. This, certainly, was what was causing even Bellatrix to pause.

"Is there anyone that wishes to leave this family?"

Shakily, Bellatrix stood, Rodolphus joining her after a moment. "I am a Lestrange and- and I am proud to be one of the Dark Lord's highest ranking servants!" She declared proudly, "I would never renounce my Lord. He will cleanse the magical world and bring the reform we need! For too long have muggles and mudblood filth been allowed to-"

"Oh bloody hell, Trixie. Put a sock in it." Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes. "If you're leaving then get out."

She spluttered indignantly and Walburga jerked to her feet. "Did you not abandon this family? How dare you even-"

"Blood-traitor scum!" Bellatrix seethed, drawing her wand and aiming it at Sirius' face. "Regulus agrees-"

Regulus rose and placed himself slightly in front of Sirius. "You should lower your wand, Bellatrix. I will not sit here and listen to you insult nor threaten my brother."

"He is no brother of yours!" Walburga howled, "I knew it! He has corrupted-"

"He is my brother! He will always be my kin, no matter what your precious tapestry says!" Regulus snapped. Mother gasped indignantly at his words and Bella raised her wand at Regulus.

Sirius, who had been leaning back unconcernedly when Bellatrix first began to rant, jumped to his feet just after Regulus did. He put himself in front of his younger brother, blocking Bellatrix's line of sight. "Don't you dare-"

"You dare to defy the Dark Lord! I knew you could not be trusted! Such a weak, spineless-" Bellatrix seethed, shrieking with her rage. "Filth! Blood-traitor filth! I'll rip you limb from-"

"Don't you dare speak to him that way!" Sirius roared, going for his wand. 

It was starting to give Regulus a headache. Everyone was sniping at each other, interrupting the next person to get their piece in. He watched Cassie grin as she sipped on her wine, happily pocketing a small bag of galleons that Alphard had slipped her. So she had won the bet, unsurprising. Cassie had a knack for chaos.

Regulus pushed his brother back slightly so he could stand next to him. He would not continue to hide behind his brother. It was time he made his own feelings known.

"I never wished to join Voldemort," Regulus started, ignoring Mother's spluttering and Bellatrix's shriek at his casual use of the name. "Oh? Don't like me using his name? Funny, that. Considering it's made up, I don't know why everyone's so scared of it." 

The months of mind-numbing terror were catching up to him. For so long he'd held this information close to his chest, only slipping to tell Sirius. He felt like someone had released the flood gates on his filter and it all began pouring out of him, all the pain, fear and rage he'd felt culminating in the rant that followed.

"The Dark Lord-" Rodolphus began, a frown on his face.

"Voldemort is nothing but the half-blood bastard of a near-squib Gaunt and a _muggle."_ Regulus spat, "He's the perfect representation of all those he wishes to condemn, making him not only a hypocrite but a bloody fool! He wishes to rule and control the magical world and he's smart enough to realise that the best way to do that is by going after the idiot purebloods. He's twisted your idea of superiority and your prejudice against you. Just how many purebloods have been tortured to death by him? How many blood-traitors has he snuffed out just for daring to go against him and his madness? How many of his own servants has he killed in a fit of rage after having a glorified temper tantrum like a _child?"_

Sirius laid a hand on his shoulder and Regulus clenched his jaw. "Voldemort - or as he's truly called, Tom Marvolo Riddle -" He ignored the shocked inhales from those that clearly knew who he was talking about. It appeared that although they must have gone to school with him, they hadn't put together that he was the newest Dark Lord. Odd, since he was pretty sure that at least Abraxas Malfoy knew. "-is lying to you all. And you're so blood thirsty and, honestly Bella, insane that you lap it up and run around doing his bidding. For Merlin's sake Lestrange, your line could have been cut in half had the Ministry pursued you further!" He exclaimed, referring to the incident from a few months previous.

Grandfather, who had stayed seated to wait out the proceedings, rose to his feet. "Thank you for that Regulus, you and I-" Sirius made a sharp gesture and Grandfather paused, "You, your brother and I-" He amended, "-will need to have a talk, I believe." He gave Regulus a curious but very pleased look, "I assume that answers the question of your loyalties, not that I needed to." He turned to Bellatrix, "And you?"

Bellatrix was shaking. Clearly she had just had the view she had of the world changed so quickly she didn't know how to comprehend the changes. "I- I will stay faithful to my Lord. He would not lie to me. Even if-" She swallowed, raising her chin defiantly, "Even if he _is_ the son of a muggle, he holds the blood of Salazar Slytherin, my Lord will-"

"Right, bye Bella." Sirius said shortly, flicking his wand and the doors slammed open, "Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out!"

Grandfather tutted at his crassness but seemed amused, he nodded at Bellatrix. "You are certain?" She nodded once and he sighed, "I admit, I am disappointed. I thought you had more sense. Alas, you are dismissed from this family."

His voice altered as he took command as Lord Black, "Bellatrix Lestrange, formerly Bellatrix Black, is no longer a welcome member of this family. May the Magics of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black leave her, for she is unworthy. No longer will she have access to the Black family vaults, titles, holdings and naming rights. May she be banished from any and all Black properties and may it be known that Bellatrix Lestrange is no longer a recognised Black in any form. So mote it be, by the will of Lord Black."

Regulus watched in awe. Andromeda's disownment had not been like this, nor had Sirius'. Though, now he knew the latter was basically just Mother throwing an Incendio at a largely worthless piece of fabric, not a proper disownment. As Arcturus began to speak, the Familial Magic in the room increased in power. The air had grown stifling and the curtains had fluttered as the Magics responded to the will of their Lord. Bellatrix had originally stood tall and defiant but by the end she was hunched over and heaving for breath. Her body shook as the Magics she had been born with left her, leaving her completely reliant on her husband's Familial Magic that had originally only been a fraction of her core. Bellatrix looked emaciated; completely ashen, forehead dripping with sweat and tears running down her cheeks. She looked thinner, somehow, as if the life had been sucked out of her.

Regulus gagged slightly. He couldn't imagine losing his Familial Magic. It was Dark yes, it was often times cruel and malicious, but it was _his_. Sirius beside him seemed to think the same, clutching at Regulus who had shakily intertwined their fingers as he fought down the urge to vomit. 

Narcissa was shaking too and he felt unending pity for her. She had tears in her eyes as she watched her final sister turn her back on her, guided out of the room by Rodolphus who looked slightly terrified. Narcissa choked on a sob and Lucius seemed stupefied. Druella was fiercely ignoring her own damp eyes as she wrapped an arm around her daughter consolingly. Narcissa had now lost both of her sisters and Regulus clung closer to Sirius, he couldn't imagine what that must be like for her.

He twisted his hand into his brothers robes, mouthing silently as he shakily inhaled. Sirius loosened the hand that was digging into his robes, wrapping an arm around Regulus and patting him softly.

Walburga had shakily dropped into her seat when the Familial Magic blanketed the room. It must have sensed her indignation and shown her perfectly well what would happen should she too refuse the will of Lord Black. Orion was shakily dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief, sweating from the heat that had radiated throughout the room as Bellatrix's ties to the family were removed.

The rest of the occupants in the room were all frozen. Even Cassiopeia seemed stunned that Bellatrix had willingly let her Magic be taken. Pollux and Irma seemed torn between fear and compassion, after all, Bellatrix was their granddaughter no matter how insane she was. And it truly was sad, Bellatrix had once been a bright star within the family. Now, she was nothing to them.

Alphard pressed a hand on Regulus' shoulder and Arcturus seemed to come back to himself. "Now. Is there anybody else that wishes to leave?"

Narcissa sobbed, shaking her head furiously. Lucius snapped out of his daze and pressed a hand on her thigh, Regulus wondered at that. He had always thought Lucius held no care for Narcissa, but perhaps that wasn't true. The tenderness in his gaze seemed to fight with the image Regulus had always pictured and he wondered if he actually loved Narcissa. He also wondered what Malfoy would do now. As far as Regulus knew, Abraxas Malfoy was very loyal to Voldemort, happily overlooking his heritage too. This left Lucius in a very difficult position and he wondered which would win. His loyalty to his wife or his loyalty to his father.

Cygnus and Druella, both of whom had been openly supportive of Voldemort, roughly shook their heads. Grandfather turned his gaze on his son and daughter-in-law, "And you two?"

Orion firmly shook his head, eyes downcast. Walburga kept her shoulders straight as she replied, "I do not. However, I must implore you, my Lord Black, to see reason. Sirius-" She cast a disdainful glare at him, "-just _isn't_ suitable for the title of Heir. For the honour, even! I beg you to see reason."

Sirius grinned wickedly, "That sounds like impertinence to me."

Cassiopeia chuckled, "Doesn't it? You clearly do not know your place, Wally. You're no longer in the running for Lady Black, get over it."

Mother's cheeks darkened with anger, "Sirius is not married therefore-"

"That is of no consequence." Arcturus waved a hand, "He is only eighteen. There is no rush. Sirius has plenty of time. Even if he does not, however, I have made it clear with the Goblins that you, Walburga, will never be Lady Black. The Magics deems you unsuitable."

Walburga gasped indignantly, "I have done everything a true Lady should do! I tried to fix my unruly-"

"Ah yes." Arcturus latched onto that, "And in doing so, you abused _both_ of your children heavily."

Walburga sniffed, "I did no such thing. I only disciplined them as I saw fit."

"Oh please," Alphard sneered, "Sirius has told me all about what you did. Are we all supposed to believe he ran away for no reason? And look at Regulus! I've seen third years bigger than him!"

Regulus thought that comment was unnecessary but he couldn't help but think back to the second year Ravenclaw he'd seen in the library shortly before the holidays. _Surely the boy must had had some Giants blood in him because-_

"You abused these boys. Do not think you will go unpunished for this. Both of you." Grandfather hissed, glaring at Orion who averted his gaze shamefully. "I doubt you, Orion, ever raised a hand to either of your children. But your wilful ignorance does not absolve you, you are just as at fault here." The contempt in his voice made Regulus shrink back and it wasn't even aimed at him.

Walburga raised her chin, "I have done nothing wrong. I will discipline my children as I please." She finished, casting a look at Regulus that promised he would pay for his earlier outburst.

Sirius snarled, raising his wand. "If you even think of laying a hand on my brother-"

"You will never be brothers! I disowned you!"

"We've been over this, Walburga." Orion interjected tiredly.

"No!" She called, "I will not recognise Sirius Orion Black as my son! I refuse! He is no child of mine!"

Arcturus narrowed his eyes. "Walburga, cease your noise. If you continue to cause a ruckus I will banish you to a property with only the portraits for company. You will not even have the luxury of a house-elf."

Walburga's lips pursed. "I apologise, Lord Black. I just do not see how Andromeda and particularly darling Bellatrix lost their place in this family but-" She glared at Sirius, "This mudblood loving traitor does not deserve-"

"Andromeda lost her place due to the breach in her contract. Had she come to me, she would have never lost her place in this family. Of that I can assure you." Cygnus, Druella and Narcissa gasped and Arcturus continued, "Bellatrix lost her place due to her insane obsession with that tyrant! The same one which you attempted to sell Regulus to."

She sent a sharp look at Regulus, "Regulus was all too willing to join, Sirius has twisted his beliefs."

Regulus felt like laughing. Mother was so firm in her convictions it was easy to forget she was so unhinged. At some point throughout the years she really must have lost some of her sanity, there was no other explanation. Sirius laughed, "Trust me, if anyone's tried to corrupt Reggie, it isn't me. Pretty sure I'm the only one that ever gave a damn about him in that awful place you call a home."

"Besides Kreacher." Regulus interjected softly making Sirius laugh again.

"Yeah, him too." He rolled his eyes fondly.

Arcturus clapped his hands. "Now. Sirius has always been, and will _remain,_ the Heir of this family. If you wish to leave, you know the consequences. I will not listen to your inane ramblings any longer. Will you hold your tongue, Walburga? Dinner shall commence shortly, so I'd like to know if I should bother asking the elves to prepare your plate or not."

She seemed to be _literally_ biting her tongue. She stiffly turned back in her seat, glaring intently at the table. The rest of the room seemed to slump in relief, all of the occupants still reeling over the many revelations and the turn of events that caused a new line of succession and a daughter of the House to be banished.

Regulus clung tightly to Sirius' hand under the table, reassuringly gripping to his brother. He had so much he wanted to say to him, but he couldn't. He was so unbelievably relieved, not only for Sirius' presence, but for Grandfather's decision to take control of the family. No longer did he have to worry over staying loyal to Voldemort, he knew - as Grandfather had told him - that he would be protected from Mother and her ire. Which he would need to be, for there was no way Walburga Black would let this slight go.

Not only had she been publicly humiliated, something which Lucretia, Cassiopeia and Alphard would be all too eager to tell others about, but she had suffered a great loss. Her 'disowned' son turned out to still be well within the family and was now Heir, even above her own husband. She would never become the next Lady Black, a title she had desperately coveted, so much so she had subtly ordered Kreacher to refer to her as such. Regulus was pretty certain that was the reason she had married Orion in the first place.

If this wasn't enough, she had also lost her second son. It was clear from Regulus' attachment to Sirius that he was firmly on his brother's side. Regulus felt accomplished for publicly doing such a thing, he had disappointed Mother and he honestly didn't care. He was thankful for Grandfather's interference as it was likely he would not have had the courage to do so if he hadn't lead the charge.

Seeing Sirius, trading stories with Aunt Cassie, Heir ring gleaming on his hand as the rest of the family attempted to continue a stilted conversation amongst themselves, left him feeling terribly warm inside. As Alphard nudged him, sending a reassuring grin and he saw Grandfather glance at Melania's empty seat with a much more accepting look than he'd ever seen, he felt relief fill him. 

Perhaps things were finally looking up for him and the Black family as a whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! Terribly sorry about Bellatrix - Walburga will get what's coming to her eventually but it was not her time yet!
> 
> As for the others I hope you enjoy them as much as I do (I love Cassiopeia, she's a delight)
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! <3


	17. The Pledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Blacks have another shock and Sirius is wary of Walburga. 
> 
> Meanwhile, the Black Family Magics are starving and intend to feast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew this is the longest chapter yet!

When Sirius had first gotten the owl, he was convinced it was a joke.

The Marauders had all watched as Walburga Black stood tall and proud, conversed with Regulus shortly before apparating away. It had left a coldness in his gut, watching his baby brother at the mercy of that woman. James had carefully lead him to this parents, talking avidly to try and take his mind off of Regulus and what Walburga's pinched expression meant. 

Remus and Peter had planned to stay with the Potters for roughly half of the first week before going home for the couple days before Christmas, returning back to the Potters for the remainder of the holidays.

Fleamont and Euphemia had greeted the four boys as warmly as usual, conveying their excitement to be having them all again. He knew how much they cherished James and it was a well known secret that they both wished they could have had more children. Unfortunately, they'd struggled to conceive James and Euphemia had tearfully confessed one night after he had turned up over the summer that the healers had cautioned her against attempting to endure another pregnancy.

She had also confessed that she saw a second son in Sirius and was over the moon that her James had such good friends. She mothered both Peter and particularly Remus as well, something that James liked to joke about, insisting that she liked them all more than her actual son.

Euphemia had overheard him one time and had snapped that Sirius, Remus and Peter didn't leave their dirty underwear on the bathroom floor, causing James to flush and whine that his mother had embarrassed him in front of his friends. Fleamont had roared with laughter, only for Euphemia to snipe that he had no right to laugh, as he did the exact same thing.

The warmth of the Potter house, the immense love and comfort that was so present always astounded him. He couldn't imagine having grown up there, and with the way Fleamont and Euphemia doted on James, it was easy to see how he'd become so confident. Of course, sometimes James had the tendency to enroach heavily into outright cocky and arrogant, something Euphemia would never approve of, but he'd certainly gotten better over the years.

Sirius hadn't been lying when he'd told Regulus he regretted their earlier behaviour, particularly to the other students. He had been a bully, to be frank. He'd been riding the high of not being a Slytherin, not being the perfect Heir Walburga wanted, and it had caused him to act out. It wasn't excusable, but perhaps if people knew the true reason he had been such an arse they wouldn't still question whether he was being genuine or if he was gearing up to publicly humiliate someone.

It was a conversation with Lily Evans in the end of fifth year, shortly after the disastrous events of what had been deemed the 'Evans-Snape break-up' (a name that always upset James, it's not like they'd been together, _right Padfoot? I mean, surely not?_ ) that had made him see the damage he was causing. Evans had found him and the Marauders in the common room one night and she had clearly been displeased at their presence, but James had tried to get her attention anyway. Asking how she felt after Snape had just insulted her with a most foul word and _did she see just how slimy he was now?_

Evans had turned on them with a blazing fury. Where some turned frosty and ice cold, Lily Evans was known for being as hot as a roaring inferno in her anger. She had been disgusted with them all, not sparing a single one from her fury. She had accused Peter of being a pathetic tag-along; Remus of being a spineless coward that never spoke his true feelings; Sirius of being a conceited ruffian that pushed others around because he was insecure (ouch, but she had been right) and James of being a show-boating, arrogant bully that refused to see the consequences of his actions.

She had tore into them all aggressively and the worst part was she had been completely accurate.

It hadn't been the first time she had gotten angry with them. In fact, almost every interaction she had with the Marauders up until that point had been accompanied by at least three insults, usually aimed at James or Sirius. However, this was the first time she'd been so angry that she'd had tears burning in her eyes, hands trembling as she viciously and pointedly tore apart all of their defences. She targeted the worst parts of them, savagely forcing them to come to terms with themselves.

It had been eye opening to say the least. Sirius had tried to calm her down while the others were all stunned silent. Peter had been sniffling weakly while Remus looked just as ashamed as he'd been when they'd confronted him in second year, telling them that they knew of his lycanthropy. James too had been completely still, muttering the words she'd used to himself as he looked increasingly guilty. Placatingly, Sirius had stood with his hands held up, trying to coax her into either being quiet or leaving. If for nothing else than to give the Marauders a chance to think. Apparently, she had been insulted by his admittedly patronising tone and Lily had apparently decided she hadn't attacked him enough and went for his mortal point, his Achilles heel. 

_Regulus._

She'd stared him down before admitting that the thing about him that sickened her most was his casual disregard for his brother. It had upset her so personally, as she revealed after angrily bursting into tears, as she knew exactly what it was like to have an older sibling that didn't care about you. Lily had sobbed over the loss of her older sister's love after she came to Hogwarts and how seeing Regulus (supposedly) wistfully stare at Sirius made her sympathise with him. Sirius had felt a lump in his throat as she told him how it disgusted her, how he had clearly thrown away their relationship and she thought he was the lowest of the low for doing such a thing.

Days later, he had still not recovered from her words. It had taken a late night conversation which Lily had initiated, apologising quietly for losing her temper yet not for what she had said. Sirius had softly informed her of his and Regulus' childhood, how they'd clung to each other and depended on each other so much it was borderline unhealthy. Lily had asked him why they were so distant now and he couldn't quite give her an answer. In actuality, he had known it was largely due to his own actions and had been too ashamed to take the first step.

Lily had patted him consolingly, assuring him that it was always possible that they could rekindle their brotherhood. When he'd asked her why she was so certain, she'd wept softly, admitting that if Petunia ever tried to reconcile she'd jump at the chance. She wanted nothing more than her older sister to love her, to discard her petty jealousy and love her baby sister again, but it was unlikely. Sirius had tried to understand what it must be like for Lily, losing her sister to something as trivial as her own jealousy.

He had shared more about his and Regulus' relationship with Lily Evans than he had any of the Marauders. Only recently had he fully opened up to them, dropping little anecdotes like the time Regulus said his first word or the time Sirius had coaxed him into taking his first steps. James had still had that prickly envy aimed at all things Regulus, but even he seemed to soften by the end of it. They'd all laughed heartily when Sirius recounted the time Regulus had a burst of accidental magic that had resulted in Kreacher wearing a princess gown.

(He'd been terribly upset that he, the Knight, and Sirius, the King, didn't have a princess to save from the dragon, Walburga. Kreacher had not been amused but had acted along after Sirius had glared at him for upsetting Regulus and demanded him to do so - being the Heir had it's perks.)

It was memories like that, paired with being with the Marauders and his recent memories of Regulus that helped power his Patronus. He'd first summoned one fairly early, at least compared to his friends. Surprising, considering all of his happy memories back then had been tinged by bitter longing. But he'd done it, in his fifth year no less. Padfoot had come prancing out of his wand, luminescent in all of his handsome arrogance. Sirius had been delighted, seeing his own form properly for the first time. 

He had thought back to those happy memories; Regulus, tiny and with a furrowed brow, hesitantly copying Sirius' mouth movements. Sloppily enunciating the word, 'Sirius' which had resulted in a soft 'Si-wis' from his baby brother. Or a slightly bigger Regulus, unsteadily gripping the side of Sirius' bed, shakily making his first steps towards his extremely proud and encouraging big brother. _C'mon Reggie! You can do it!_ He'd called, eagerly watching as Regulus giggled, hands clapping as he fell into Sirius' arms. _You did it, little star! I knew you could!_

Now, he was certain his Patronus was stronger than ever. He had Regulus back and Moony seemed to have struck up an odd friendship with him. James too seemed to like Regulus more now. Though, every so often Sirius would catch a slight edge to his tone, only if he felt particularly left out.

When three days after the break started an owl came soaring through the window, dropping a letter right in front of Sirius in the middle of breakfast, he'd blinked. He'd been confused as the stationery the letter was written with was alarmingly familiar.

"That's a Black owl." He'd said, staring at the letter as if it would suddenly burst into flames and Walburga Black's vitriol would be unleashed.

James had startled, poking at it with his wand and causing Fleamont to laugh. "What? It could be cursed!"

"No, no James it's-" Sirius had swallowed, "This has the mark of Lord Black."

His words had silenced the table. Even Peter, who knew very little of pureblood politics, had stared wide-eyed. They'd all been silent as he carefully opened the envelope, wondering if perhaps it was an official notice of his disownment. It would have certainly been less surprising than what the letter actually said.

Sirius had apparently, according to Remus, gone very pale and froze as the words sunk in. He'd ended up letting out an incredulous laugh, reading and re-reading the contents before he'd leapt to his feet.

When he'd recounted the letter, word for word, they'd all been stunned. James and his parents had been baffled, just as Remus and Peter had been. However, they knew the _true_ meaning of this. The Potter's had all shared stupefied looks, Fleamont even shaking his head in confusion. "Old Arcturus always knew how to shake a room. I can just vaguely remember when he announced his betrothal to Melania, even us blood-traitor families were in uproar." He had let out an incredulous laugh, "It's high time he took control of that family. Far too many of them are running around headless, quite literally."

Grandfather had always been someone Sirius didn't like to think of. He had so many fond memories running around Black Manor with Regulus, listening to Grandmother's soft tinkling laughter and Grandfather's feigned disapproval when they'd traipse inside, flushed and sweaty before dinner. 

_"You'll ruin the furniture, go wash up."_ He'd grumble.

 _"Oh Artie, don't be such a sourpuss!"_ Grandmother would chide and Sirius would gag childishly at the loving look he'd send her.

It had upset him greatly when Grandmother died and he could remember quietly cooing to Regulus as he cried, desperate to stay strong for his brother who had always been so much closer to her than he had been. Usually, whenever Sirius would have his Heir lessons, (which included history, politics, etiquette, the families many businesses and stockholdings, and learning the Familial Magics) Regulus would be left alone with Grandmother where they'd read books together, sew, knit, bake and cook. Mother despised it greatly, lamenting over how soft Regulus was and that Melania was trying to turn him into a girl.

Sirius remembered when Regulus first learned to knit. Or at least, attempted to. He had presented Sirius with a lump of wool that was supposed to be a scarf. It was a little too thin and the colours and textures of the wool contrasted greatly, but Sirius had accepted it with a smile. Praising little Regulus who had preened, excitedly chattering about the colours he'd chosen and why he'd picked them. _This matches Grandmother's eyes! And this colour is just pretty - but this one's like the stars! And this one's really soft!_

It had been a mess, quite frankly. 

Sirius _loved_ it.

He still had it and one time back in first year an older Gryffindor had found it after sneaking into their dorm to pull a prank on the new firsties. He'd shown it off in the common room, laughing at it and causing many of the other Gryffindor's to make fun of the scarf. Sirius had been enraged, he'd snatched the scarf back and vowed vengeance. He'd allowed the (yet to be named) Marauders to play a harmless prank on him though, to absolve him should he ever be caught. They'd turned his hair pink and they'd let the matter go.

Two weeks later, Donovan McLaggen had unfortunately had a nasty accident in Potions and had been sent to St. Mungos for a week to recover. 

Sirius had smiled when the news had reached him, petting the scarf softly as he tucked it under his pillow where it always laid. _Thank you, Aunt Cassie,_ he'd thought.

He'd always hated when people poked fun at Regulus for his interests. What did it matter if Regulus wasn't the typical brash, assertive male that the Black family expected? Regulus was happy, that's what should matter. Melania Black had been of a similar mindset, and he'd never doubted her ability to care for Regulus. Andromeda had once laughed that he was like Regulus' brother, mother, father and friend all rolled into one. It had been a comment he'd shaken off at the time, but it had stuck.

When Grandfather had decided to retreat into himself, Sirius had felt like he'd lost both his grandparents. 

Learning that not only was he still within the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, but also the Heir, above his own father, had shaken him. After the shock had worn off, he'd sat silently as he contemplated what this meant. Being back in the family wasn't what he wanted, not if he had to comply to their wishes. He was his own person, he was a Black by blood and he bowed to nobody.

He instantly sent a missive explaining this and Grandfather's response had been prompt but startling clear. It had lit a fire inside of him and he'd sat with the Marauders for hours going over what this meant, explaining it in detail to Remus (who was terribly fascinated by pureblood protocols) and Peter (who was just confused). 

Walburga's rage at his appearance had amused him greatly. Bellatrix's had only sweetened the pot and seeing her disowned, banished from the family permanently, having her birth Magics stolen from her, had pleased him far more than he'd ever admit.

His friends would likely have been horrified, but Sirius was always a little more Black than they'd known. Even still, seeing that bitch get what she deserved had settled him, the vindictive Grim inside him had growled contentedly watching her tremble as her husband lead her from the dining room. Regulus had clung to him and the reassuring presence of his brother, knowing he would never have to bow before that disgusting hypocritical tyrant, soothed him even further. 

When Walburga had threatened Regulus, Sirius had felt the Black madness whisper in his ear to do something. To make her pay. Perhaps he'd grown to be a little _too_ much like his Black ancestors, but he didn't care. He knew what Walburga would do to Regulus after his little brother had very dramatically revealed everything. Sirius had been ready to add to Cassie's betting pool he'd been so sure Mother would quite literally explode in her rage.

After things had calmed down and dinner had resumed, Sirius had kept his left hand firmly in Regulus' right. It was a good thing Regulus was left-handed or he'd likely struggled to consume his meal. Regulus was still shaking minutely but the lowered line of his shoulders belied his relief.

Regulus was truly relieved at the turn of events, and if Sirius hadn't been sure whether he should accept his place in the Black family before, then he was certain now. It was the right thing to do. After all, how better to protect Regulus and shape the Black family than by being right in the thick of it. Because that was something Sirius _desperately_ wanted to do, other than protect his brother of course ( _he would always, always do everything he could for him_ ) but he wanted to change the Black family. He wanted to change how people perceived them.

He still got startled looks at Hogwarts. Nobody expected a Black to be a Gryffindor and just because he was wearing red and gold, didn't change their preconceived notions of him or his family. He'd seen first years hurry away from him, turning completely in the other direction if they saw him coming. James had always scoffed, saying Sirius was Light so they had nothing to fear.

Sirius didn't see the point in correcting him, Grey wasn't too far off anyway.

It was part of the reason Sirius felt like he had to hide this fact about himself, even from his friends. James may have grown up some, but he was still of the opinion that Dark was Bad and Light was Good. He'd have to correct that eventually, it was completely inaccurate after all. Remus seemed to understand this, after all, he was quite Dark himself, literally being a Dark creature had warped him and he was certainly not evil. Remus was quite literally the most mild-mannered boy he'd ever met. If that alone didn't prove that being Dark wasn't bad, he didn't know what would.

As dinner progressed, it was almost painful how stilted the atmosphere was. Narcissa was still struggling, barely eating as she glanced at the door every so often, like Bellatrix would come running back, begging to be reinstated. She wouldn't, she had too much Black pride. Sirius himself would never, it was only due to Lord Black's fervent apologies and invitation that had caused him to come back.

That, and Regulus.

Besides, from his spot within the family, he would have a lot more security. Grandfather had already assured him he would not need Alphard's money, that the Heir's vault was stocked and he was free to use it. He had even suggested properties, giving a list of Black properties that were unoccupied that many did not know existed. Sirius had resulted to browsing them later with Regulus.

After dinner, the family stayed seated around the table as Arcturus raised his hand. 

"Family." Grandfather began, "Family is the most important thing. We do not often get to choose our family, and every tree produces withered branches and sour apples, but family is the most important thing. Our tree is deeply rooted within this country. We Blacks have practically ruled Britain for centuries, far longer than any pureblood family on the continent. Very few families rival our longevity, and even less can stand against our magical prowess. The Blacks are famous for producing some of the most capable, intelligent and charismatic wizards."

Sirius refrained from rolling his eyes. He enjoyed these talks, his ego was always slightly tickled by them, but he wasn't quite as blinded by the idea that Blacks were best as many around the table were. 

"The Black family will be undergoing a reform." Grandfather informed them. Glancing around at the variety of expressions, Sirius could see some were outwardly pleased, some unsure and some highly upset. "No longer will anyone within the family bow before that tyrant. I will hear no more of it. I've made my feelings on the matter quite clear. You will all follow me into the study where you will all pledge loyalty to the House of Black. If you do not, or if you attempt to deceive me in any way, the Family Magics will be called and you shall be judged by the Magics themself."

Sirius barely held the gasp back that had built in his chest. From the barely controlled inhale, Regulus was just as surprised. To take a vow of loyalty was a very extreme step. Making a pledge to the family, to stay loyal to the family above all others, would ensure nobody so much as _thought_ of running off to Voldemort. It would be the only way to make sure the members of the family would be unable to betray them. Grandfather had not mentioned this and it seems he had not made this decision lightly, judging by the firm tone in his voice.

"Is that truly necessary, Cousin?" Pollux asked gruffly, shifting uncomfortably. "We are all loyal-"

"Considering it was _your_ granddaughter that first brought this plague upon us, I suggest you hold your tongue. Cousin." Grandfather snapped.

Sirius felt his lip quirk and he watched Aunt Cassie hide a grin as she sipped her wine merrily. "Well I for one have no problem doing such a thing. I've always been loyal to family first, though, there was that delicious young Russian boy from the fifties that almost made me-"

"Cassiopeia." Grandfather grumbled. 

"Oh don't worry about her, Uncle." Alphard grinned, waving a hand. "I know just who she's talking about. Young Stefan was stunningly beautiful. Even I-"

Cassiopeia shrieked, laughing gaily. "Of course you knew my Stefan!"

"He was _my_ Stefan too." Alphard purred, running his tongue across his lips hungrily.

Sirius snorted, shoulders shaking as he watched Grandfather pinch the bridge of his nose. Regulus too was pressing his lips together to hide his amusement. He faintly heard Lucretia snicker and Ignatius choked on his wine.

"Oh you dog!" Cassie laughed.

"Family." Grandfather groused, but Sirius was heartened to see him looking much happier than he had been earlier. Seeing the family getting along, at least somewhat, must have reinvigorated his spirit. "I would like to ensure the Black family lives through this war. The Familial Magics will happily remove any who are a threat to our survival. They have already showed their displeasure with some of your decisions. The Heir ring would have come to me as soon as the tapestry was burned, even if it is only a copy, if the Magics had agreed with the actions taken." He said, sending a look at Walburga. "So do not take this pledge lightly. The Familial Magics will not be so kind should you attempt to deceive them."

Sirius swallowed. That was a hefty threat. One which, Sirius knew, resonated with the diners. On Lord Black's command, the Magics would act. But should Magic find you truly unfit and attempting to dupe them, they would act alone. The Magic would take action of it's own accord. This could result in many things, just as breaking an Unbreakable Vow would, though instead of a quick death, Familial Magic was likely to draw the affair out, ensuring a proper punishment for the unfaithfulness to the family.

Walburga shifted, raising her chin in defiance. "I did what I believed was right. I am eternally loyal to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." She assured. Regulus tapped the back of his hand twice and Sirius looked at Walburga closely, her hands were shaking slightly and Sirius felt that vindictive streak swell, purring delightedly at her discomfort.

Grandfather raised a hand, gesturing towards the door. "To the study, my kin."

The family slowly rose, waiting to follow. The hierarchies must always be observed. Grandfather lead, with Sirius following and Regulus just behind him. The rest of the family followed in order, shuffling their way down the hallways to the large study. Grandfather's private office was large, yes, but much too small for such a large gathering. Especially one that could end in disastrous consequences. Hopefully Mother would burst into flames or be transformed into a cockroach so he could step on her. 

Oh. So he _had_ gotten a little darker after all. _Oh well._

"Excited, little one?" Sirius muttered as they filed into the study. The large room boasted the same high arching windows all the rooms shared with beautiful crimson curtains hanging before them. The walls were a soft brown and the desks, tables and bookshelves were all made of cherry wood, their colours perfectly matching the walls to create a light place to study and relax. He knew it was one of Regulus' favourite rooms in the Manor and judging from the way he was eyeing the place, he was eager to be back and explore.

"I think it may be in here." Regulus whispered, darting his eyes around the room. "Kreacher said things had been moved. He tried to describe the room but he-" Regulus groaned softly, "He's, well, very _reluctant_ I should say, to go against our Paterfamilias."

Sirius startled. He'd... honestly forgotten about the main reason Regulus had insisted on being here anyway. Something that instantly filled him with guilt, Regulus didn't have such a luxury, the scars on his body would never allow him to forget. In the past few days, although he'd worried greatly, he'd been largely distracted by the heavy ring on his finger and what it represented. He'd forgotten; Regulus declined spending the holidays with him so that he could get the book on Horcruxes. That meant there was a chance the book was in this room. After all, though it was smaller than the actual library, it held most of Grandfather's prized collection, the rest of which was in his office.

"Better hope so. It won't be in the main library and if it's not here..." Then it was in Grandfather's office and a robbery would be completely impossible.

Regulus bit his lip. They were in a corner by themselves, Grandfather seemed to be having a minor discussion with Cygnus and Druella, likely impressing upon them the importance of this vow, not referring to Bellatrix skilfully but the threat of what happened to her hung heavily in the air. 

Regulus turned to him, muttering under his breath. "I'm worried what this vow could mean. If I vow my loyalty to the House of Black, proceeding to steal an ancient tome would likely break that vow."

Sirius swallowed. Thoughts of seeing Regulus, pale and shaking, Family Magics acting out their punishment of him, torturing him, not even granting him the mercy of death... he gripped his brothers arm. "We-" He blinked rapidly, "We could always speak to Grandfather. He's against Voldemort-"

"No! It's too dangerous! It's too much of a risk Siri! We-"

"Boys." Alphard called cheerily, "We'd like to get started. Well," He cast an amused glance at the family, "Some of us would." He didn't name names, but many were far too rigid to convey the nonchalant attitude they were attempting to portray.

"Yes," Lucretia added, "I'd like to get back home. This day has been... eventful. To say the least."

Eventful was certainly one word for it.

Narcissa flinched slightly but Sirius was proud of her. She stood tall and firm, head held high even though her eyes were still puffy. 

Grandfather stood before the desk. The family had made a semi-circle in front of the main desk towards the back of the room. From the order, they'd kept to rank with Mother pursing her lips as he took his rightful place. Regulus seemed nervous and Sirius felt the same. He wouldn't allow Regulus to risk himself, Sirius would sooner swear loyalty to Voldemort than allow Regulus to risk his life again. He'd have to convince him to speak with Grandfather.

"I shall be starting with my Heir." Grandfather mused softly, "I know many of you have your doubts in Sirius. So I deem it fitting. I am sure," He cast a glance at Walburga, "Sirius will prove himself worthy. If not, well, the Magics are clearly quite ruthless. It's been so long since they've had the pleasure." Grandfather trailed off, flicking his eyes at the parents of the young woman that knew first hand how vicious the Black Family Magics were.

Grandfather stepped back. He closed his eyes, channelling the Familial Magic. He raised a hand and a small bowl materialised there. This was more intense than simply banishing someone from the Family. Tying the knot was always done with more care than when it was unravelled. Besides, if one so desired, a knot or a tangle could easily be cut away. It was not so easy when matters were as delicate as this.

Sirius took in a steady breath, back straight and shoulders firm, he held himself with the same grace he always did. He was a Black. 

Grandfather sent a proud look at him, "My Heir. My chosen Heir above all others." Grandfather noted, "You will make me proud. Prouder, I should say. I wished for a true Black for many years, decades even, and I was gifted with you."

Sirius felt his insides curl with pleasure and smug pride fill him. For years he had been told he was the shame of his family. It was something that was said so often and so casually that he had truly begun to believe it and decided he may as well embrace it. As much as he adored Regulus, he had been compared to him so often in the past few years, it felt good to get some recognition. From their Paterfamilias, no less.

Grandfather raised a small dagger that appeared on the desk. He made a smooth cut along his hand, following the life-line in the palm. Grandfather let the blood pool in his hand for a moment before letting the blood fall into the bowl. The room began to swirl, his Lord's magic blanketed him and Sirius felt his own curiously peeking out at the intrusion. He willed himself to relax and let the Magics work.

A second dagger appeared and Sirius raised it to his palm, copying Grandfather's movements as he let the blood fall into the bowl, drop by drop. He watched the crimson liquid blend together before a soft red glow shone from the bowl, an array of Runes appearing in the air above that he couldn't decipher but he knew Regulus could in a heartbeat. The Runes flared before disappearing, accepting their blood relation and the oath that would follow, as well as the judgement that would take place, but Sirius was unconcerned. He held no ill will to anyone but Voldemort (and perhaps Mother if she tried anything nasty).

The Magics were waiting, called in by their Lord, watching the proceedings. Sirius could feel the heat in the air, similar to earlier but much more intense. The curtains whirled and some of the books were shaking on the shelves.

"Do you, Sirius Orion Black accept your duties as the primary Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?"

Ah, yes. He hadn't officially been sworn in as Heir. Not that he really needed to be, but it would update the tapestries everywhere and all purebloods with any link to the Black family would be notified on their own family trees. In fact, the majority (if not all) of the pureblood families in Britain had some kind of vassalage to the House of Black. In modern times, that didn't mean much, but it basically ensured that all purebloods saw the Blacks as _close_ to royalty. Again, outdated and rarely was it brought up, but it was still a fact.

"I do so swear."

Magic pulsed. A gust of wind caused his hair to flutter slightly at the base of his neck. He held firm.

"And do you, Sirius Orion Black, pledge your undying fealty to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black? Do you swear to always act in the House's best interests and bring the House of Black no shame?" Sirius thought the wording was a little extreme, one couldn't swear to never shame a House - an untimely illness could be seen as shameful should it cause you to miss an important gala. This was why Familial Magic was so important, it judged everyone based on the circumstances they were presented with and the Magic acts accordingly. Something out of your control is not your fault, Magic acknowledges, however one should strive to do everything they can to uphold their House's values and image.

"I do so swear."

The Magic pulsed again. Sirius felt a soft tingle on his palms and he didn't need to look down to know they were glowing with the weight of his oath to Magic. He could feel the heat crawling up his arms. A stronger gust of wind rattled more books, some tumbling to the ground and the furniture began to shake.

"Do you also swear," Grandfather raised the corner of his lips, "-to pledge yourself to no political figures, besides your Lord Black?"

Sirius inwardly smirked, this one would throw many. In doing so, he was also swearing not to stand by Light figureheads, including Albus Dumbledore. That meant he was also unable to join the Order of the Phoenix - something James' dad had accidentally mentioned the other day. (Apparently he had a meeting with the Order scheduled, James had latched onto the name and demanded to know everything. It was basically Dumbledore's resistance to Voldemort.) He knew his family would expect him to pause at least, if not flat out refuse. However, since his and Regulus' talk in the Room of Requirement, he had started to question Dumbledore's actions. He too, like his brother, did not quite trust the man. Not any more.

Mother ducked her head slightly to hide a grin and he was tempted to turn a smirk in her direction as he continued.

"I do so swear."

The others startled a little, even Regulus let out the tiniest inhale that made Sirius wrangle back a laugh. He loved fucking with his family, honestly.

(Family. He hadn't been able to call his _blood_ by that for _so long_.)

The magic pulsed for a final time. Accepting Sirius and his pledge wholly. The heat on his palms expanded further; flames danced up his arms and circled around his shoulders. The array of red, gold and orange shades whirled around him causing him to bask in the pleasant heat. It soared higher, looping around his ears while more tendrils snaked down his back, trailing further to pool around his ankles. He stood in a ring of fire that felt as warm as a soft hug from Grandmother and he shivered at the comfort it gave him. Sirius had never felt so utterly content. 

Grandfather leaned back. He turned to the others and gestured for Sirius to re-join his place beside Regulus. As Sirius did, he felt the flames extinguish and he silently mourned the loss of them. No longer was he waging a war within himself. No longer did he have to fight his Familial Magics. He was at peace with them. They may be inclined to the Dark, but _he_ controlled his magic, _not_ the other way around. The flames burned red, just as red as the shading on his tie for he was a Gryffindor and _proud._

He was now a Black and _proud._

Grandfather turned to the family. "I'm sure you all understand the weight of this oath now?" He asked. Sirius took a moment to glance around the room and the stunned faces of his family members thrilled him. They had likely not expected a more intense version of Bellatrix's banishment, probably expecting a simple raising of wands, reminiscent to an Unbreakable Vow.

However, there was no need. Magic, _true_ Magic, did not need a wand to be channelled. Just like how a powerful enough wizard could use Magic without a wand, Magic itself had absolutely _no_ restrictions.

As well as this, an oath in blood was serious business. Wizards were very particular about blood, some even classifying Blood Magic as a form of the Dark Arts and insisting it should be banned. It was not, it was merely a branch of magic that made many uncomfortable as it took from your lifeblood. 

It was propaganda like that which made him just _barely_ understand the prejudices many Dark inclined wizards had to the Light and many muggleborns. Magic using your blood was dangerous, obviously, but it wasn't inherently Dark. Many of the strongest wards and protection spells used a wizards blood as an activator.

Regulus poked his arm reassuringly and Sirius turned to him with a cheeky smile. The rest of the family seemed shocked that he was so upbeat, Bellatrix had been reduced to a quivering mess so to see Sirius so rejuvenated must have been a surprise. Even Regulus had looked concerned before the lines on his face smoothed out, recognising his brother's joviality as an after effect of the oath.

"Regulus, are you ready?" Grandfather called softly, smiling slightly when Regulus merely stepped out of the line and took his place.

The oaths continued. Sirius had watched as Regulus was covered in a similar but different glow; pearly white and molten silver tendrils lapping at his body, crowning him as he made his pledge and he'd never seen Regulus look so strong. He looked every bit as Black as his name and ancestry suggested. Sirius was overwhelmed with pride. Not an uncommon feeling lately, Regulus continued to outdo himself.

It had admittedly taken longer than Sirius would have liked to realise the colours were not representative of the Familial Magic. In fact, the colours swirling around them was _their_ Magic. It was their own Magic, celebrating the new oath and their earnestness.

Cassie had been doused in a luminescent green that was eerily similar to the deadliest Unforgiveable, something that had made her and Alphard cackle while he and Regulus shared amused but exhaustive glances. Alphard himself had donned a similar royal blue to the robes he always wore, he'd only sniffed, _matches my eyes_ , he'd declared. Narcissa's had been an frosty blue, Druella's was plum coloured and Cygnus' a Slytherin green which he'd preened at. Pollux and Irma had curiously similar shades, both a similar bronze colour, but not so much that they were indistinguishable with Irma's much lighter and swirling with a more honeyed tone. Lucretia had smiled serenely at the soft peach tones of her Magic that Sirius thought clashed with the vibrant Prewett orange that matched Ignatius' hair as he'd shown. 

Sirius had been surprised that Lucius took part, he truly must be more devoted to Narcissa than he'd thought. It had been amusing to watch the man pause as he quite literally swallowed his pride and swore the future of House Malfoy to the Blacks. He'd hesitated the longest before the political figures question, pressing his lips together before he softly swore his loyalty to the Blacks, renouncing Lord Voldemort completely. The pale yellow that matched his hair had made Sirius quirk a brow but he'd been satisfied when Malfoy kept his stance solid. Perhaps he was more than the show-boating peacock Sirius had painted him as.

Orion had looked uncomfortable but resigned when he made the oath. Not that Sirius ever doubted he would. Orion Black _was_ loyal to the Black family first, he just didn't care enough to actually _lead_ it. Always letting Walburga make the decisions, content to sit back and let the House crumble and if things had continued as they were, he knew it was only a matter of time before that had happened. It would likely snap Orion out of his ignorance, but by then it would be too late. The House of Black would have fallen into disrepair. Doomed to die out, making Orion an embarrassment due to ending their longevity.

His magic was a dull colour which Sirius thought was beyond fitting. It was a pale, muted pistachio that looked almost sickly. Grandfather had frowned heavily at this, looking back at Sirius and Regulus, likely remembering their beautiful, spirited and lively shades. The Magic itself had been sluggish, looping around him slowly, a contrast to his sons. Sirius' had ran around him with enthusiasm, energetically snaking out a new tendril to wrap around him. Regulus' too had been animated, sparkling with an intensity that nobody else but he had, glittering like diamonds as it rhythmically danced across his skin.

When Walburga stepped up to the centre of the room, the last to give her pledge, he could hear the anticipation. Sirius wondered if they'd purposefully arranged themselves this way as it could be argued that Orion and Walburga still held precedence in the line of succession to Cygnus and Druella or at least Narcissa and Lucius. However, Walburga seemed to have chosen to go last, judging by the satisfied look on her face.

She'd probably hoped that Sirius would have dropped dead screaming by now. Hoping, fruitlessly, that the Magics would have deemed him a traitor to the family. However, she seemed to have recovered and was ready to prove herself to the family.

As the Magics represented each person, Sirius wondered what colour Walburga's would be. Perhaps a similar sickly green to Orion's. He could only hope. 

Watching the colours move across everyone's skin, Sirius had also realised some of them seemed to get a slight warning from their Magic. Narcissa's had caressed her reassuringly while her parents had both flinched slightly as a band tightened around their wrists. Alphard and Cassie didn't seem to have any complaints with theirs either, but he'd heard Ignatius mutter that his had prickled slightly - curious. He wondered what that said about Ignatius' loyalties to Dumbledore as it definitely wasn't Voldemort he was loyal to. Lucius had flinched minutely too, his seemed to have jabbed him rather roughly but he seemed altogether unconcerned. Sirius and Regulus (because of course Reggie had worked it out too the little swot) had shared a surprised glance when Orion didn't seem to get any more than a slight pinch from his Magics.

Walburga made her pledge proudly. She looked very much like the boastful Black she was and Sirius wanted to do something stupid like throw something at her or transform into Padfoot and piss on her leg, to annoy her if anything. Maybe to upset her enough she'd try to directly attack the Heir. 

Which, would break the oath.

Unfortunately, that did not go for everyone in the House. Only the Lord and the Heir (and their spouses) were protected by this new oath and Sirius mentally frowned. That meant Mother couldn't even so much as raise her wand to him. The oath would abruptly warn her she was close to being in violation of the pledge she'd made and she'd likely snap out of whatever rage he managed to put her in. Regulus however, was not protected by these oaths. As Regulus' mother, she had a right to 'discipline' her child and it's unlikely this oath would affect that. Especially as Regulus was still underage.

Sirius was extremely disappointed that Walburga made it through the vow. She finished with a satisfied smirk curling at her lips, the sharp, coal black of her Magic clearly prickling her skin, scraping against her as if she'd fallen into a thorn bush, but she remained standing. A loop had tightened around her neck though and she'd clearly been concerned, but had still held that same arrogant tilt to her lips. However smug she may be, it wouldn't last, Sirius knew.

He could see the cold, calculating gleam in her eye and he knew that whatever it was she had planned, it wouldn't be good.

Grandfather addressed the family again but Sirius tuned him out. Mother was staring intently at Regulus and it made Sirius' insides quiver. He felt the beast inside of him roar and he wished so desperately that he could do something. Force himself into her mind so he knew what she was thinking, cut her down right where she stood so she would no longer be a threat, he didn't know. But _something._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sirius' thoughts are always fun to write. He's unhinged, certainly, but not too much I hope. Whereas Regulus is slightly more laid-back (though he has a tendency to have emotional and teary outbursts, Sirius is more likely to start throwing curses and getting angry.)
> 
> (Did you see how the Magics reacted to each member of the family? Hmmm...)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! I actually hated writing parts of this chapter because I wasn't satisfied with it but I needed to try! (I hope I conveyed what I wanted, some sections were rewritten over and over again because the wording was annoying me.) Tell me your thoughts, my dears! <3


	18. The Grandfather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcturus is filled in, has a little outburst and comes up with a plan. Sirius just really loves his little brother and Regulus is thankful he's no longer alone. Since when were the Blacks so emotional?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look out for some Black Brothers softness!
> 
> Warning!!!
> 
> Arcturus has a little outburst and grabs Regulus harshly but it isn't abusive! Just wanted to warn you all!

After Grandfather had addressed the family, some had chosen to retire for the night. As it was the holidays after all, most of the family would be spending at least a couple days here before going back to their own homes. Ignatius and Lucretia would be going the next morning while Pollux and Irma left shortly after Grandfather finished the pledge's. It seems they were more discomfited than they'd shown. Aunt Cassie and Alphard would be staying at least a week, chiming in that this was the most fun they'd had in a while. Cygnus and Druella would be leaving the day after next, with Narcissa and Lucius following to visit Malfoy Manor for a time. 

Regulus knew Orion and Walburga wished they could be back at Grimmauld already, but out of politeness (and spite on Mother's behalf) they would be staying roughly as long as Cassie and Alphard. Sirius had pulled Regulus aside and told him he had planned to stay for at least a day or two but would extend it further should Regulus wish. Regulus had agreed, citing that they needed a proper plan and enough time to execute it, as well as time to discuss the new changes with Arcturus and what they meant.

What Regulus didn't say however, was that the longer they stayed within Arcturus Black's domain, the longer he was safe from Walburga. Regulus was still a minor and therefore was stuck with Mother (as Father was still largely useless) as his sole guardian. She could, theoretically, order them to go home immediately, but apparently she had some other reason for staying besides to spite Sirius.

Regulus didn't want to know.

"Little lion, you're daydreaming again. Thinking of how pretty Moony's eyes are?" Sirius teased.

Regulus jerked in his seat. "I most certainly was not!" He hissed, _although_...

"Bet you are now."

Regulus glared at him. "Do you just wish to incite chaos everywhere you go?"

"Of course he does!" Cassie chimed, sauntering into the family parlour. He and Sirius had declined drinks with the adults who were in the main parlour that was used for guests. Regulus found that odd, but didn't mind. The family parlour was more comfortable and smaller. "He's a Black!"

"And a right bloody good one." Alphard grinned, holding a glass of wine as he sat beside Cassie. They'd always gotten along famously. Both vagrants that liked to travel the world and sleep with many a faceless lover. They were both certainly of questionable sanity, always quick to draw a wand or poison someone's drink. Well, that was more Cassie's thing. Something she loved to talk about; 'I poisoned the French, German _and_ Brazillian Ministers for Magic' was liable to be the title of her memoirs. 

He'd always enjoyed seeing them together. They had an odd friendship and made far too many inappropriate jokes for polite company, but they were certainly entertaining. In fact, it had gotten so bad that since the Minister's Ball incident of '67, they were no longer allowed to sit next to each other for public occasions. Sometimes they would even be put on separate tables, Alphard surrounded by many a pretty face and Cassie by enough people she could argue with and point a knife at to distract them both.

Ah, Belladonna Malfoy had never been the same after that St. Mungos charity dinner in 1969. All Aunt Cassie had to do was wave a spoon at her and she'd shriek in fear. Regulus wondered just how badly she'd scarred the woman.

"Thank you, thank you." Sirius mock bowed from his reclined position, "I do aim to please."

"So do I." Alphard winked. "Never had any complaints."

"That's not what Jules-"

"Cass!" He hissed.

Regulus turned to Sirius, "Who let them drink?"

"Probably Grandfather, he's far too happy at the minute he probably forgot to swap their wine for the non-alcoholic kind." He murmured, but they were both pleased by the change in tune from their Lord Black.

"I wonder what will happen next." Regulus whispered, shuffling closer. He dropped his head slightly so his lips couldn't be read from anyone else in the room, not that the other two were paying attention, they were talking about some poor woman that was on Cassie's hit list. "I'm worried Siri. I don't think I'll be able to get the book and- and I need it. And Bella- she won't take this lying down. I shouldn't have lost my temper, I've only gone and revealed myself. What if he checks the cave-"

"No, Reggie, none of that." Sirius groused, wrapping an arm around him and angling them away from the others. "It'll be fine. Bella wouldn't _dare_ say anything to Voldemort."

"How can you-"

"Because," Sirius stressed, "She's smart. She's smart enough to know that you weren't lying. You heard her at the end there. She _doesn't care._ She doesn't care that he's a half-blood, she's still just as loyal as she's always been. She's _also_ smart enough to know that asking Voldemort his true parentage is a death sentence." Sirius assured.

Regulus felt his pulse relax slightly and he shakily breathed in and out. "Okay. Okay, yes. You're right. If she dared to ask he'd kill her, no matter how much he seems to favour her. He's hidden his parentage for a reason."

Sirius smiled, cuffing him on the chin. "See? It's going to be fine. But, I will admit, I'm surprised you lost your temper, little one. Isn't that supposed to be more my style? Gryffindor, yeah?"

Regulus huffed. Rolling his eyes, he snarked, "Well I certainly don't want to be mistaken as a Gryffindor. I lost it, I'll admit. But I was just so frustrated. I'm sick of keeping this in Siri, these secrets. I hate it. I want this bloody-" He choked, "I want this awful war to be over. But that can't happen until that scum is in the ground, but I can't do _that_ if I don't get this sodding book. Which I can't bloody do because-"

"Calm." Sirius interjected firmly. "It's fine Reg. I promise. I've got an idea about that actually-"

"Boys?" Grandfather called. Sirius and Regulus both startled at his closeness. He was only feet away, certainly close enough to have overheard at least a part of their conversation. 

"Grandfather." Sirius acknowledged. Both of them stood and bowed, Regulus copying his brother's greeting shortly after.

Grandfather narrowed his eyes. "You two have seemed distracted all night. I trust that you would tell me if something was the matter." He said, not even bothering to phrase it as a question.

Regulus inwardly groaned. He'd heard enough, then. Besides, Grandfather was an astute man. He hadn't become Lord Black solely by being the first born son. He'd learned the family teachings well and he was a more than capable wizard. Certainly capable enough to know when his young grandchildren were hiding something.

Sirius straightened, "Actually Grandfather, Regulus and I wish to speak with you-" Regulus startled. "-it is a rather important matter, I am afraid. One that must be held privately."

Regulus had to bite his tongue to stop from lashing out and saying something insulting. He wanted to smack the back of Sirius' head and ask him just what exactly he was thinking.

"To my study, then." Grandfather said softly, prompting Regulus to snap out of his mental screaming at his brother. Grandfather turned swiftly (he was surprisingly in shape for someone pushing eighty) and commuted the short walk to his office silently. He held his hands behind his back as he walked and Regulus pinched Sirius when they slipped out of the family parlour. Sirius winced and batted his hand away, Regulus retaliated by slowing down enough to kick Sirius in he back of the shin and Sirius hissed and pulled at Regulus' hair. "Boys." Grandfather commanded from down the hall and they both hurried to follow. Regulus stuck his tongue out at Sirius and his brother squawked softly, batting at Regulus again. 

Once they were close enough to the study, Regulus held back his childish impulses and tried to straighten his hair. It was pointless as once they entered and saw Grandfather's back turned to them, Sirius cuffed him sharply around the back of the head. Regulus whirled around and kicked out at him again and the clearing of their Grandfather's throat snapped them back to reality. Sirius winced and Regulus followed his gaze before doing the same.

Grandfather was looking through the reflection of a shiny shield with a sword laid on top that was hung on his study wall. The shield was so shiny that it showed them both clearly enough and had obviously given away the childlike antics they'd attempted to hide. Regulus couldn't help but admire the shield however, it was said to have belonged to one of the earliest members of their family, Deimos Black, who had waged a war so bloody he'd been labelled one of the earliest Dark Lord's on record in magical Britain. Not a great guy, but he had beautiful weaponry.

"Are you both quite done?" There was a sternness in his voice that gave away his tiredness. He was likely exhausted and Regulus was surprised he was still standing, especially so upright. Channelling the Familial Magics multiple times in one night as well as going through several long oaths, a banishment and having to put up with the family squabbling, yes, Regulus could see why he would be a little short with them.

"Yes Grandfather, I apologise." Regulus apologised softly.

Sirius nodded, "I apologise, Grandfather. Do forgive us, my Lord. Regulus was startled by my request, you see."

Grandfather quirked a brow, "So it is really you, my Heir, that wishes to speak with me? Not both of you?" He turned, gesturing for the boys to sit as he did so too.

"Yes Grandfather." Sirius smiled sheepishly, "I only wished Regulus to be here as this concerns him as well. I'm sure you noticed Regulus'... keen interest in Voldemort and his true origins."

Grandfather suddenly seemed much more awake. He straightened even further and leaned in slightly, sending a calculating glance at Regulus. "Yes, I had wondered about that. You seem to know an awful lot, young Regulus."

Regulus fidgeted slightly, feeling his cheeks pinken at the attention. He hated being the centre of attention, not when he wasn't in the control of the situation, at least. "I do. I did a lot of research on the topic. It started this summer and I only learned of his true name, Tom Riddle, at the end of October."

"And why exactly did you not come to me? This knowledge is invaluable."

Regulus looked down shamefaced. "I should have come to you, my Lord. However I did not know of your true feelings. Mother and Father were both firmly in the Dark Lord's corner, as were Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella. Many other members of the family are sympathetic to his cause and I was not certain where your loyalties were." Regulus cringed at the wording. It sounded like an insult, perhaps it was. He was still a little bitter for the years of neglect and he _was_ rather petty.

"I apologise," Grandfather murmured, "I should have made my feelings clear. I can not blame you for being cautious. As I said, this information is extremely valuable. Many purebloods will not willingly serve a half-blood, especially not one who has been masquerading themselves as a pureblood. It is only a shame-" He cut himself off but they all knew what he wanted to say. _It was only a shame that Bellatrix had chosen not to see reason_.

"There is more, Grandfather." Sirius added, grinding his jaw slightly. "Regulus has found out something even more important."

"Oh? Do tell." Grandfather quirked a brow. "Just how important is this?"

"It could change the tides of the war." Regulus revealed. Grandfather's brows shot up and Regulus sighed, "We both - we _all_ know where this war is heading. Voldemort continues to gather support and he is at a level of power than only one man can match. A man, who chooses to sit back and let his foot-soldiers do his work for him. This war will be bloody and it will desecrate the country even if the Light somehow manages a win."

Grandfather nodded solemnly. "What is this information you have uncovered?"

Regulus started slowly. He began with the Dark Lord's request for Kreacher and took him through the events as they happened. He made sure to add the little things that had caused him to make certain connections and didn't hold back when he described the cave. He saw Grandfather pale drastically, grasping for a bottle of liquor and pouring himself a glass. He sipped and gestured for Regulus to continue. Sirius seemed put out, chin wobbling as Regulus spoke and Grandfather slid a glass to him. Regulus continued, speaking of his near death experience with a detached numbness.

When he told Grandfather of the Horcrux, his findings from the Hogwarts archives and the theory Sirius had prompted of their being multiple Horcruxes, Grandfather lurched to his feet. He angrily stormed to his shelves and summoned a dagger. He carefully slit the tip of his finger, dropping his blood into a small engraving of the Black crest. Grandfather tore the book off the shelf as it glowed, granting him access.

Grandfather threw the book on the desk before pulling Regulus up by his collar. Sirius jumped up, drawing his wand and nervously looking between them.

Regulus gasped as Grandfather shook him lightly. "Foolish! Idiot boy! How could you do something so reckless?" He dropped Regulus' collar who spluttered slightly, "Have you no sense? I thought you were supposed to have a brain? How can someone so intelligent do something so thoughtless and rash?"

Regulus was at a loss for words. Sirius seemed completely stunned as he placatingly raised a hand, "My Lord-"

"Did you know about this? Why didn't you stop him?" He demanded, turning on Sirius.

"Of course I didn't know!" Sirius snapped, "Do you think I'd have allowed him to do such a thing? I'd have put myself there first!"

"Idiots! Imbeciles!" Grandfather cried, "Both of you! Do neither of you think? Two children, both in Hogwarts, both members of the Darkest magical family on these Isles! We Blacks are the pioneers of Dark Magic and the Dark Arts! It's in our name!" He roared. "Did neither of you think, for even a second, to come to me? To at least go to Alphard? Sirius I know you converse with him frequently - don't you think you could have gone to him?"

"We didn't know whether we could trust anyone." Sirius admitted. 

"No." Regulus cut in, "I didn't. It was my idea, don't blame Sirius. I apologise, Grandfather, but we weren't certain. As for Alphard, he may not have believed us. Mother has-" He pursed his lips, "Mother has made it quite difficult for us to think of family and associate it with anything positive. We've always had each other and-" Regulus looked at Sirius briefly, "-for a long time, that was enough. That was all I needed."

"Me too." Sirius added smoothly. "Mother is a manipulative old hag. I'm not excusing our actions and I'm certainly not excusing Regulus' momentary insanity when he went on his little suicide mission-"

"I told you-"

"Shut up! I told you I'll never be able to forgive you for risking your life, and I meant it! You could have died, Regulus! I can't just accept that!"

Regulus blinked, gaping for a moment. "I thought we'd gotten over this."

"No! Of course we haven't! I understand you felt like you had no option, but the thought still sickens me to my very core, Reg." Sirius choked, turning back to the elder in the room. "I apologise for that outburst. We should have come to you sooner, yes, but we're here now. We needed the book that Regulus says mentions Horcruxes. We've got one-"

Grandfather made a sharp noise, "You do?" He blinked, "The locket."

Regulus nodded, reluctantly turning his gaze from his brother, mind still slightly reeling from his words. "I- I do. It's in my trunk."

"You've taken it to Hogwarts?" He cried.

"It's in a secure bag, in a warded space inside my trunk which is also warded. With Runes I carved myself!"

Grandfather nodded cautiously, still frowning. "I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. For all we know of the Dark Arts, Horcruxes are one of the _least_ studied parts of magic. Soul magic in general is largely unstudied. Nobody wants to risk their very soul, honestly, to make a Horcrux is just..." He muttered, trailing off as he ran a handkerchief across his forehead.

"It's vile." Sirius spat. "But I think he has more than one. And-" Sirius started carefully, "I think I know how we can check."

Regulus whirled on him, "Are you going to keep doing this?" He demanded, referring to the fact that Sirius apparently had a whole well of ideas that he wasn't sharing with Regulus.

Sirius seemed to detect the note of hurt in his voice and placed a hand on Regulus shoulder. "It actually only came to me very recently." He turned back to Grandfather, "I think Bellatrix might have one. Unknowingly, that is."

Grandfather's jaw dropped. "You-" He seemed to have lost his Black composure completely. Unsurprising, learning your grandson had almost lost his life due to a Horcrux was quite the revelation. And they only continued to pile more on him.

"Oh dear Merlin." Regulus whispered. "Of course she does."

Sirius blinked, "Yeah?" He seemed shocked that Regulus agreed so easily.

"No, no-" He whispered, "No it makes so much sense. When the Dark- when Voldemort called for me, he had just finished meeting with Bella. She looked more pleased than I'd ever seen her. Like... sort of like when she got her Mark. Remember how she was practically vibrating she was so ecstatic?" Grandfather seemed completely out of the loop but Sirius nodded sharply. "Anyway, the next thing that happens is Voldemort's asking me for Kreacher. If he wanted to hide one of his Horcruxes using a follower's elf to test it out-"

"Who's to say he wouldn't leave one of his Horcruxes with another?" Sirius finished.

Grandfather slumped a little, "As she said, she _is_ one of his most faithful. He would not hesitate to entrust her personally with such an item."

"Where would she keep it though?" Sirius asked.

Regulus bit his lip. "Bellatrix isn't stupid. She might not know it's a Horcrux, but she'd know it was Dark. Darker than anything she'd handled. She wouldn't leave it lying around the house."

Grandfather tilted his head, "You say Voldemort asked for Kreacher this past summer?" 

Sirius nodded distractedly, "Yeah. Apparently it was near the end of June."

"I would have to check," Grandfather began slowly, "But I do believe I signed off on an item that Bella wished to place in the Black family vaults. I remember thinking it was odd as she specifically requested for it to be placed in our most high security vaults. As a daughter of a secondary branch that is already married into another family, I thought it was strange."

"The Black vaults are much better protected than the Lestrange vaults." Sirius pointed out, tone only slightly smug.

Grandfather nodded, "Exactly. She would know it was something of value. Anything from her _Lord_ would be." He said bitterly.

"She would want it to be protected heavily. Where better than Gringotts? The Goblins can be nasty, but they take their jobs very seriously. The security of their bank is something they brag about." Regulus added.

Grandfather sighed, "You boys... I knew you'd be nothing but trouble. Always up to no good. Even from a young age." He grumbled.

Sirius beamed, laughing. "Ah, I always say I'm up to no good. I'd solemnly swear it, in fact." He grinned and Regulus could tell this was another Marauder secret he wasn't yet privy to. He ignored the pang of envy and glared at the side of Sirius' face.

"I'm sure you would." Grandfather's lips pursed. He leaned forward and flicked open the book, carefully presenting the page on Horcruxes. "There. That is the largest documented piece of information on Horcrux magic."

Both Sirius and Regulus rushed forward to read the passage. After reading through the devastatingly little that was written, Regulus jerked his head up to meet the elder man's gaze angrily. "This is it?" He demanded, "This? This useless little passage? I already knew that! I would have risked my life for-"

Grandfather raised a brow, "Risked your life?"

"I-" Regulus grimaced, "I may have been planning to pilfer the tome I had been looking for. Which now I see wouldn't have worked anyway, may I ask what Rune chain you used-"

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. "Swot, shut it. Anyway, don't be too upset with little Reggie. As we've established, he's very intelligent but his plans are generally _awful."_

"Excuse me? I'm the one that stole a piece of a Dark Lord's soul and managed to survive!"

 _"Barely."_ Sirius grumbled.

Grandfather closed the book. "As I said. Soul magic is rarely researched. But, this does tell you something of import." He pointed out.

Regulus and Sirius ended their glaring contest and blinked. "It does?" Sirius questioned.

"Honestly." Grandfather rolled his eyes. "Think." He demanded.

Sirius huffed, "As interesting and utterly vomit inducing as that chapter was, I don't think-"

"Oh!" Regulus gasped. "But- well- I already knew that." He whined slightly, shuffling his foot, a motion that was just shy of a petulant stomp. Sirius made a gesture and Regulus rolled his eyes. "We have to destroy it beyond measure. That's basically what I had already guessed."

Sirius nodded, "Okay? So how do we do that?"

Grandfather shook his head, "I do not mean to simply send a powerful Bombarda or even cutting it in half. You would have to truly and irreparably damage the container of the soul. It would need to be completely destroyed. Only then will the soul piece be released and the Horcrux would be no more."

Sirius groaned, "Okay, so? Aren't we - as you said - _pioneers_ of Dark Magic? You telling me you can't cast a little Fiendfyre at the blasted thing?"

"That's a fair point." He turned to Grandfather who sighed, shaking his head. "You can't?" He demanded.

"You boys don't understand just how chaotic Fiendfyre can be. The older you are and the... weaker you are emotionally, the less stable your ability to control it becomes. Ten, twenty years ago perhaps, but now? It would likely take me with it." Grandfather sighed. 

Regulus swallowed uncomfortably. The loss of Grandmother really had damaged him. 

"Fiendfyre is utter chaos. It's cursed fire and it only exists to destroy. Perhaps if we could find a way to contain the spread - to light up a room and attempt to escape-"

"No, Grandfather." Sirius shook his head, "You're right, it'd be too dangerous."

"What about the others?" Regulus asked suddenly, "Surely Aunt Cassie-"

"As much as I may dislike it, I believe you were right in keeping this from me until you were certain." Grandfather sipped his drink, "I do not like that you boys have to deal with this, the knowledge that Horcruxes exist is something I wish you were both ignorant of. The rest of the family can take care of themselves but I do not think it wise to burden anyone else with this."

Sirius shook his head, "But you said it yourself. We're well known for the Dark Arts. Aunt Cassie literally spent half of dinner telling me how she invented a curse to turn a man's intestines to acid!"

Regulus tilted his head, "I didn't hear that."

"You were speaking with Uncle Alphard about your Runes project."

"Did she tell you how she did it? Was it through Transfiguration or perhaps some kind of potion-"

"Not the time, little one." Sirius smirked, cuffing him on the shoulder and Regulus flushed. He couldn't help it, the magic involved must have been terribly clever. Grim, but so very interesting. This is what Sirius must mean when he says his curiosity gets the better of him. "My point is, surely-" He began, turning to Grandfather who cut him off.

"No. Cassiopeia may be very capable, but even she will not know a thing more about Horcruxes. Everyone else will know even less. No, it's best we keep this to ourselves for now. We will have to check first that Bellatrix is actually in possession of one."

"Because if she is, perhaps there's even more. And then even if we destroy the one - or possibly two - that we have, it's largely pointless because we don't know the exact number that psychopath chose when he thought making Horcruxes was a _good idea."_ Regulus gestured hysterically. 

Sirius frowned, "Couldn't we be a little more optimistic? I mean, call it wishful thinking, but surely he couldn't have made that many."

Grandfather shrugged elgantly, "It's unlikely he made a very high number. The maker becomes more and more unstable as they create them as the portion of their soul that is removed is replaced by Dark Magic. Meaning, there would be a point where the maker would become a complete soulless being, controlled by Dark Magic." They all grimaced, imagining the chaos.

"He's insane already," Sirius pointed out. "But he's not quite _that_ bad. We know he's likely made two, perhaps three?"

Grandfather sighed, "It is too hard to guess and exact amount, but three _is_ a magical number, so it has merit. But Regulus has a point, we must be certain that there _are_ multiple Horcruxes and perhaps if we get our hands on another one we'll find a pattern."

"Like what?" Sirius asked, "You mean where he's hiding them? With his Death Eaters?" He flicked his eyes to Regulus apologetically.

Regulus nodded, smiling reassuringly to show he wasn't upset by being grouped in with the likes of Bella. It was true, for a time, anyway. "That, and what they actually are. We already know he used Slytherin's locket, an heirloom. Perhaps he has more treasures."

Grandfather shook his head slightly, "It is unlikely. The Gaunt line were completely fallen from grace when they died out. If he truly is their half-blood bastard, he would likely only have come across the necklace by chance. If I recall correctly, a woman used to brag about having Slytherin's locket and Helga Hufflepuff's cup in her prized collection. She died shortly after and the family caused quite the ruckus when the two priceless artefacts went missing from her effects."

"Somebody stole them?" Regulus gasped softly.

"Supposedly. The family seemed to believe there was other factors, a lover perhaps that decided to steal them. But many of the public actually believed the Ministry or the Goblins had done it. She had two Hogwarts Founder's heirlooms and many were not happy, particularly the Ministry. They wanted to put them on show, you see. As a sort of tourist attraction I suppose. As for the Goblins, they believed the items should have gone back to Gringotts in accordance with Goblin law. Public opinion was largely split on who was behind it, but you get the gist."

Sirius and Regulus shared looks. That was interesting.

"Do you think-" He tilted his head, looking from his older brother to his Grandfather. "Do you think you could teach one of us to cast Fiendfyre?"

Grandfather creased his brow, Sirius however startled violently. "No! There's no bloody way you're teaching Reggie to cast Fiendfyre! It could kill him!"

"Actually," Regulus began, "I meant for Sirius to learn."

Sirius paused in his tirade, blinking multiple times at his little brother. "Huh?"

Grandfather leaned back in his seat, "I believe that could work."

"You've always been better with a wand than me, Sirius." Regulus raised a brow at his brother who was still gaping slightly. "You'll pick it up much faster than I will. Besides, as much as you may not like to admit it-"

"You _have_ always had an affinity for the Dark Arts." Grandfather finished. Regulus nodded and gestured to the older man. "I believe Regulus is right. If you are amicable, I can begin teaching you. You will eventually be able to properly control it and you're young, though you'll want to keep your temper in check when you cast. Fiendfyre will feed on that chaos and it'll causing an inferno that you likely won't be able to extinguish." He warned, "However, I'm certain you'll be able to learn it. Though you'll need to keep training - even while at Hogwarts. Do you know of anywhere that you could attempt to practice?"

Sirius bit his lip. He still looked mighty unsure, but Regulus knew Grandfather's comment had gotten through. Sirius always did have an affinity for Dark Magic, though he may like to pretend otherwise. He was too powerful not to be and Regulus had always admired the finesse and ease with which magic came to his brother.

"I can think of a few places, yes." He mumbled, fiddling with the hem of his robes. "Okay, so. What's the plan? You'll teach me some Fiendfyre and..?"

"And while that's happening I'm going to look for potential Horcruxes. Or potential Death Eaters that may have been entrusted with them. If you'll grant me access, I can check the paperwork for Gringotts and see if Bellatrix listed a description of the item."

Grandfather nodded, "That is acceptable. I'll owl the Goblins in the morning. Meanwhile," He waved his wand at a lower shelf, "Read this, Sirius. I trust you still remember your occlumency training?"

"Of course." The slightly insulted scoff seemed to amuse the older man. "I'll have you know I am an excellent occlumens. Mother couldn't break me even if she tried." He sneered.

Grandfather's eyes narrowed but he passed the book over to Sirius who shrunk the tome and pocketed it, ignoring Regulus' frown at the treatment of the book. "Regulus, I'd like all of your research on this Voldemort fellow. Please compile your notes and leave them with me. I'd like to look into his background some more and I'll have access to the time and resources that you do not." He sent them both a firm look, "Now. I am not happy about this, let me assure you. You are both far too young to be involved in any of this but due to the family's lack of care for their kin, you have been put in an impossible situation."

Grandfather pursed his lips, "I do not wish for you to distract yourselves from your studies however." He raised a hand when they both began to protest, "I understand. Fighting in this war is commendable, but unnecessary for _children_ to concern themselves with. Both of you are to study and complete your education to the best of your abilities. Is there anything else you have yet to tell me? Anything at all?"

Sirius bit his lip, "Uh. Well. I'm planning on teaching Reggie to be an animagus?"

"And why," Grandfather's eyes twitched. "Would you _possibly_ think yourself qualified to teach such a dangerous and potentially life-altering transformation?"

Sirius smiled sheepishly before standing. With a soft pop, the large, furry beast that Regulus had learned to refer to as 'Padfoot' appeared. Sirius sat down and barked once. Grandfather let out the most exhaustive sigh yet and Regulus couldn't stop himself from snickering. Sirius seemed to feel the same, letting out an odd snuffling noise and laying his head down on his paws. He gave Grandfather puppy eyes and the man rolled his eyes.

"Of course." He said, shaking his head wearily as Sirius turned back and gestured grandly. "You'll have to register. I'll ensure your forms are slipped into the filing system but do not end up on the public registry. It's always good to keep a back-up plan." He added, he looked unwillingly proud and Sirius smiled. "That goes for you as well Regulus. I'm certain you'll be able to transform soon enough."

"I already know I have four legs. I'm smaller though." Regulus perked up. His meditation had been very effective and he'd caught subtle glances at what his form could be. 

"Maybe you'll be a small ickle puppy!" Sirius grinned, teeth completely exposed. "It would make sense. My ickle baby brother-" He crooned and Regulus cut him off.

"Shut up, Sirius." He frowned. He would not be a _puppy._ He refused. "I'll never transform again if I am." He threatened.

Grandfather raised a hand to silence them and they both snapped to attention. "Now. I'd like you both to retire for the evening. We have much to do and very little time to do it in. Bellatrix will likely not delay in obtaining the Horcrux if it is in the vault."

"But she's been banished. She has no claim to the family vaults." Regulus reminded him.

 _"She_ might not," Sirius started, "But her _sister_ still does. Narcissa wouldn't be going against the vow by just giving her sister an item she requested. That's the problem with these pledges, they always have loopholes." He grumbled.

Grandfather nodded solemnly, "Exactly. So we must act quickly. I'll send a missive to Gringotts in the morning. In the mean time, Black Manor is on lockdown. No owls in or out. It'll hopefully delay any warnings to any other parties."

"How long have we been in lockdown?" Sirius asked wide-eyed.

"Since Bellatrix left. She will be too weak to properly tell anyone of what happened at the moment. I believe her husband has taken her to his Manor to recover." His lips twitched slightly and Regulus wondered how he knew that. _It was best not to ask._ "Go to bed. Rest. Recover. Today has been trying for everyone and I'm sure you are both exhausted." Grandfather smiled slightly. "You've both made me very proud. I only wish I had been more active so you did not have to be. Or at least if you had known you could trust me, you would not have risked yourselves needlessly." He sent a pointed glance at Regulus.

Regulus flushed slightly but kept firm. "It's understandable Grandfather. Losing Grandmother-"

"Is not an excuse." Grandfather affirmed. "No matter. We will likely only continue to repeat ourselves. Goodnight, boys."

Sirius stood, bowed and grinned. "Goodnight, Grandfather."

Regulus did the same, holding the bow for a second before he smiled. "Thank you. This-" He swallowed. "This whole thing has been terrifying. Thank you. Goodnight Grandfather."

Arcturus sent Regulus a mournful glance before looking away. He hoped he understood just what he meant when he thanked him and he was sure he did. Sirius tugged Regulus away and they both left when Grandfather raised a hand to dismiss them properly. They walked through the halls in silence and Regulus was suddenly aware of just how heavily he was breathing.

Sirius pulled Regulus into his chosen bedroom, the room next to Regulus' that had a secret passageway connecting the two rooms. It was often referred to as the 'Play Rooms'. Either it was used by naughty children or lovers that were having an affair in private. Sirius and Regulus were firmly in the former category, having used the adjoining rooms to sneak into each other's bedrooms and plan their next bout of mischief together. 

In fact, Regulus could remember fondly the time they'd snuck into one of the rooms and planned out a very elaborate prank on Great Aunt Lycoris for something she'd said to Narcissa that made her completely break down into tears, shattering her icy exterior that she'd perfected. Even Andromeda had been in on it and she was generally one to keep out of any petty vengeance but whatever Lycoris had said had made even mild-tempered Andromeda's whole body tremble with rage. They'd gotten into immense trouble for the spat that followed, but it had been worth it. 

"Little one." Sirius whispered and Regulus was suddenly aware that they were both standing in the middle of the bedroom and Sirius was clutching his upper arms. "Breathe. You're safe. Mother's on the other side of the house, Bella is gone and you'll _never_ have to bow to Voldemort again. I'm back. I'm back for good." He assured strongly. Clutching his brother tighter, Regulus slumped in relief.

"It's- I'm not alone anymore." Regulus croaked.

"No love, you're not." He said sadly, stroking a hand down his back. "Grandfather and I are both here. Even Kreacher is here for you. And Moony and Prongs, even Wormtail! We're all here for you, Reg." 

"For so long-" He choked, pressing his face into Sirius' shoulder. "I thought I'd have to do it all alone. I thought- I-"

"I know. I know. Not anymore, though. I promise."

Regulus leaned against his brother, muttering softly. "I'm sorry, Siri. I know I hurt you when I-" He sniffled, "I'm sorry for doing something so dangerous. I felt like I had to but- but I _could_ have come to you. I should have known better! I do, in fact. I _know_ you love me, I should _never_ have doubted- not even for a _second_ \- I- but she-"

"Shh, little star." Sirius soothed, stroking his back. "She attempted to break us both. She failed, but she gave it a bloody good try. I don't think I can ever forgive you for putting yourself in danger, I meant it earlier, the thought of losing you-" He shook his head, "I'd rather have my magical core ripped from my body and be forced to live the rest of my life as a husk of my former self."

"No-!" Regulus cried softly.

"I know, it'll never happen. But do you understand? I can't ever forgive you for risking yourself, losing you would be the worst thing that could happen to me, but we can move past this, okay? We can. We _will_. I don't have to completely forgive you, I can accept what you did and we can move on. I accept your apology." Sirius assured.

Regulus sniffled again, nodding softly. "Okay. We will. We'll get better."

"That's the spirit." Sirius smiled gently.

Regulus felt Sirius lay him down on the bed and tuck him in. A switching spell was used to change Regulus into his sleep clothes and he only laid back, numb in his overwhelming relief. "I'm not alone." He whispered amazedly. "I'm really not alone anymore." He cried, eyes sparkling.

Sirius' face appeared beside him, perched on the edge of the bed and stroking a hand through his hair.

"You're not alone. You never will be again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Regulus and Sirius are not actually in love with each other. They have a borderline obsessive brother complex, yes, but there's no incestuous or romantic feelings. It's all platonic though they certainly push the boundaries.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! (Arcturus is here to protect these lovely boys and also smack them around the back of the head for being stupid.)


	19. The Malfoy's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus has a startling revelation and a Horcrux is acquired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this 11.5k word monstrosity!

The rest of the holidays were oddly subdued.

Regulus had been prepared for Walburga to immediately try something, but he should have known better. She was a Slytherin. She was clearly aware that she could not act rashly and that her movements were being closely monitored. At least, for now. She was clearly planning _something_ though and he could see Sirius was getting increasingly agitated. They both knew any action she would take would be against him. She would not be able to harm Sirius, but Regulus was fair game.

When they'd gotten the documents from Gringotts, Regulus had sat in the corner of the duelling room. He perched himself in the corner to scour through them. The duelling arena was the best place for Grandfather to carefully instruct Sirius on casting Fiendfyre. His brother hadn't liked the fact that it would be so meticulous, but he understood that if he didn't take the time to properly learn the curse, he'd be putting himself and others at risk. 

Grandfather had actually had a few sharp words for him when Sirius had gotten frustrated and thrown a mild tantrum during the first lesson. Grandfather had snapped that he would be risking himself should he fail - something that hadn't seemed to move Sirius. Realising this, Grandfather changed tactics, mentioning how if they didn't properly learn this then everything would be for nought. Regulus would have needlessly risked his life and Sirius would be throwing that sacrifice away. It had certainly gotten the message through.

Regulus had interrupted the session, slightly cheerful but with an ominous foreboding feeling as he relayed what he'd found. Bellatrix had listed a description; a small, gold cup of immense value that had been layered in protective spells. Particularly, the Gemino and Flagrante curses, which meant to attempt to touch the items by anyone but her would cause the object to turn scalding hot and would rapidly duplicate, with each copy also carrying these curses.

It was terribly clever and it could lead to the thief being burned alive as they suffocated under the weight of the rapidly duplicating cups.

Grandfather had assured him that he should be able to remove the curse, but Regulus wasn't so sure. It didn't matter though, for learning this had come at a price. It meant that Voldemort had definitely made _multiple_ Horcruxes.

They'd tried to estimate the number but hadn't been able to. Three was certainly the best guess they had, but Sirius had pointed out that _seven_ was the most magically stable number - stability which would be crucial to Voldemort. Making multiple Horcruxes would make him dangerously unstable and having some kind of stability that was inherently magical would appeal to him.

It left Regulus feeling uncomfortable. If he had died in that cave, it would have largely been for nothing. That was a bitter pill to swallow, and when he'd made the mistake of mentioning this to Sirius, his brother had stormed off in a rage. It had taken hours to properly calm his brother and it had only been due to his utter destruction of one of the guest bedrooms that seemed to have lessened his anger. Sirius had torn the room apart in his fury and Regulus had felt awful.

Regulus felt bad, but he _had_ come to terms with the fact that he wasn't okay mentally. He was trying and he knew he _was_ getting better, but it was a slow process. He and Sirius both had endured many talks, tearfully combing over the darkest parts of their childhood and reassuring each other that they were okay and had each other now. It had certainly helped them both. Grandfather had even suggested a mind healer which Regulus was seriously considering.

As of now, Regulus was mainly focusing on the possible Death Eaters that may be housing a Horcrux and what they could be. Due to Grandfather's knowledge of the woman that had her treasures stolen, they knew that the cup in Bellatrix's possession was most likely Helga Hufflepuff's cup. This brought an interesting connection to light; both the locket and the cup are Founders items.

The problem with this was that there were only two other known Founders items. Godric Gryffindor's sword was only able to be wielded by a true Gryffindor and legend had it that the sword was lost and would only come when a true Gryffindor called for it. Regulus thought that was ridiculously stupid, it was more likely that the sword was just lost to time. It was also highly unlikely that Voldemort would have used an item of Gryffindor's, the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor was too great.

This only left Rowena Ravenclaw's famed diadem, which was also said to have been lost centuries ago. How fun.

Though, Sirius had said that it was worth investigating this angle, it was the only one they had, after all. Grandfather suggested looking into his background and said he would start this research once everyone was out of the Manor and the boys were back at Hogwarts. If he found something, he promised to contact them by owl. 

Regulus couldn't help but feel useless. Sirius was learning to cast Fiendfyre with Grandfather's instruction, and the only thing Regulus was good at was research. Research that had so far taken him nowhere.

For Christmas day, Sirius had decided to floo back to the Potter's to be with James for a little while. Apparently he'd gotten an owl that not-so-subtly implied James was feeling rather bereft by Sirius' long absence. His brother had tried to drag him along but Regulus quite happily refused. There was no way he was going to spend an important holiday with a boy who just _barely_ tolerated him and his loving family.

No thank you.

Sirius had come back looking cheerful, though. Regulus was glad at that, his brother deserved a break from Regulus' mess.

Orion had been very subdued, even more so than usual. He seemed to have woken up a bit overall, but was clearly very unsure about his place in the family and seemed to have been doing a lot of internal thinking. It was amusing, particularly at mealtimes. He would practically avoid Grandfather all day but during mealtimes with the reduced numbers in attendance, he had no choice _but_ to face him. Watching Orion Black meekly duck his head and tip-toe around his father was amusing, but it only seemed to anger Grandfather more.

He knew why. Grandfather lamented the fact that Orion was so weak and by being so unsure and cautious, it only proved his lack of worth, not only within the family but within himself. Sirius too had seemed slightly disgusted by the softness of the man who sired him, but Regulus couldn't help but pity him. Oh, it was certainly pathetic and it sickened Regulus slightly - unable to stop himself from wondering if he hadn't almost lost Kreacher, _would this have been what he became?_ But it was just so utterly _piteous,_ Regulus couldn't bring himself to actually be angry with the feeble excuse of a man.

Sadly, they'd had even worse news shortly before they were set to return to Grimmauld. Bellatrix had managed to snag the cup - an unfortunate show of oversight for her that they'd been very irritated by, but Regulus could commend her intelligence. She certainly worked quickly. Apparently, she'd somehow managed to get one of the Goblins to transfer the cup into the Lestrange vaults. He was pretty sure she'd either Imperiused or threatened the creature to do it.

Either way, Grandfather had not been happy. Neither had Gringotts; an enraged Lord Black storming down to the bank had caused quite the stir. The Goblin that had overseen the transaction had been swiftly removed. Whether he'd been killed or not was unknown, the Goblins _did_ like retribution in blood, but perhaps manual labour and many years of repentance would be preferable to them in this case. If only to soothe Lord Black's ire; Grandfather had certainly seemed satisfied when he returned.

One positive to come out of the holidays was Grandfather's announcement to the family that Regulus and Sirius would be staying for the holidays. He'd plainly affirmed that Walburga and Orion were not welcome past the week they'd originally planned. This was why Regulus and Sirius were still at the Manor now, only days before they'd return to Hogwarts.

Regulus couldn't help but feel incredibly disheartened by this turn of events. He'd been so excited to get his hands on the cup, but alas, it was not meant to be. Sirius had tried to cheer him up but it had barely worked, once his brother had rushed off to send a letter to his friends, he'd dropped his smile and gotten lost in his thoughts.

He'd been thinking about who could possibly be trusted with a Horcrux for a while, as it was at least the most solid lead they had. For some reason, Regulus had been trusted, or at least his _elf_ had been. Bellatrix was an obvious choice, she was fanatical in her loyalty and although she was certifiably mad, Voldemort clearly recognised that above all others, Bellatrix Lestrange would never betray him, she was devoted beyond reason. He'd gone through many possibilities in his head and he was pretty sure he knew the only other Death Eater that may know something.

It was a good thing he'd just sworn undying fealty to the House of Black.

Regulus had jerked up suddenly one day, rushing into the duelling room and interrupting the Fiendfyre session. Luckily, his brother hadn't been casting and had been improving his breathing techniques, keeping his stance relaxed and his mind calm. Grandfather had been angry at his interruption but Sirius had been furious. He'd gone on a mild rant about what could have happened had he been casting, but Regulus had interrupted him with one word.

"Malfoy!"

Sirius startled before looking even more angry. "What's he done?" His voice was ominous and he was fingering his wand, carefully examining Regulus for injuries.

"No! Malfoy!" He cheered, looking at them both expectantly. When they'd only continued to stare blankly, he huffed. "Think about it! Death Eater, loyal, from a prestigious family that has clearly supported him for a time..."

"Oh!" Sirius realised. "You think he's got a Horcrux?"

Grandfather pursed his lips, looking very much like Lord Black in that moment. "If he does, he is breaking his oath already. It's only been a matter of days but the Familial Magics work quickly, he should have been punished by now."

Regulus shrugged, "Maybe he doesn't know what it is. Housing an item the Dark Lord entrusted to him isn't _really_ breaking his loyalties. He's simply omitting telling us something that may or may not be important. Anyway, it's likely not _him_ that was entrusted with it. That's probably more Abraxas Malfoy's honour."

Sirius nodded slowly, "Okay... that could work. He wouldn't be breaking the vow if he knows that his father has an item given to him by Voldemort. For all he knows it's a nice little thank you present for sucking him o-"

"Sirius!" Regulus cried, cheeks flushing. His brother was so crass. 

"Please watch your tongue, Sirius." Grandfather chided, "Regulus is only young." He smirked slightly, ignoring Regulus' spluttering and Sirius laughing. "However, I am inclined to agree with you both. He and Narcissa left already, but I can easily call the boy back."

"Oh great, more time with lovely ol' Lucy." Sirius faux cheered. "Can't wait!"

"This could be fun. You could threaten him." Regulus reminded, "He's dangerously close to breaking the vow and I'm sure his wilful ignorance will not be excused by the Familial Magic, should we call for it."

Sirius grinned viciously, "Oh that's true... may I-"

Grandfather cut him off, "You'll both be in attendance. Go wait in my office and I shall... summon him." He gave the slightest quirk of his lips and the boys both refrained from shuddering. Grandfather looked terrifying. His eyes had darkened, looking like the brewing clouds seen before a particularly violent storm. They both shared a look and scurried off, not wishing to see just how Malfoy would be summoned.

After waiting in Grandfather's office for roughly five minutes, Lord Black entered with a pale looking Lucius Malfoy trailing behind him. Grandfather did not gesture for Malfoy to sit, a clear sign he was an imposition and that Grandfather was not happy with the reason behind this meeting. Lucius took in the room, Sirius was leaned casually against the wall by the door, not even bothering to hide his feral grin when the blond man averted his eyes. Sirius was guarding the exit, effectively trapping the man further. Regulus himself had taken a seat by the window ledge, leisurely lounging across the padded wood like a cat, eyeing his prey.

"Lord Black." Malfoy greeted, bowing slightly as a sign of respect. Regulus had heard him refer to Voldemort in a similar fashion and wrinkled his nose slightly in disgust at the memory of that monster. 

"Heir Malfoy." The use of his title was effective. As he was a member of the family, Grandfather _should_ be referring to him by his given name as Lord Black's title was of a higher status and he was Lucius' Paterfamilias through marriage. He'd also sworn vassalage to the House of Black, tying the Malfoy name to the Black's eternally. He can't imagine Malfoy's father was pleased by that revelation and a closer look at Malfoy showed just how tired he looked.

"My Heir is also here." Grandfather reminded tightly, it had not gone unnoticed that Lucius had deliberately not greeted Sirius or Regulus. Ignoring Regulus could be excused by some, but to ignore the Heir of the family he was married into was a blatant slight.

Sirius grinned further, smirking as Lucius turned to him stiffly. "Heir Black."

"Heir Malfoy." Sirius' tone was actually quite cordial, but the amused and patronising look in his eye wasn't missed by Malfoy who tensed.

"Might I inquire-"

"You've felt my summons, I'm sure."

Lucius stiffened slightly, wincing a little and cricking his neck. "Y-Yes my Lord Black, I did." Regulus wondered just what the summons felt like and was glad he didn't know, though he could assume it was similar to Voldemort's.

"Then you understand why you are here." Grandfather said flatly, "I believe you are dangerously close to breaking your pledge to my House. I do not take kindly to deceivers, Mister Malfoy." The dropping of his title made Malfoy's lips tighten. "You understand action must be taken. It is a shame, I had not wanted to do such a thing, but you leave me no choice. I'm sure the Familial Magics will be-"

"No!" Lucius cried softly. Swallowing at his own rudeness, he cast an apologetic look at Grandfather. "I- I apologise, my Lord. H-However- I do not quite understand what I have done to deserve-"

"Did Voldemort give you anything of import?" Regulus asked. He looked at his Grandfather for permission and continued, "Anything at all?"

Lucius blinked several times, he straightened slightly, furrowing his brow. "I- I do not believe so. I was never as... fanatical in my support. He-" Grandfather urged him on when he paused, "The Dark Lord was much more interested in my political value. The Malfoy's are heavily involved in the Ministry and our monetary value is substantial. He never truly trusted me with anything _too_ important, not unless it involved politics. Though I do know he gave something to Bellatrix, she boasted to the entire Inner Circle for days."

"Inner Circle?" Sirius asked.

"His most trusted." Lucius swallowed, glancing down at his concealed Mark. "Many of his followers keep their identity a secret, but the Inner Circle are all more open. I believe the Lestranges are his top followers."

Grandfather nodded carefully, "Your father? Abraxas always was very severe in his beliefs. He strikes me as the type to enjoy a Dark Lord killing muggles for sport."

Lucius winced, nodding shamefully. "He is very devoted. Father has always believed in the Dark Lord and his values. I was inducted on his orders."

Grandfather didn't look terribly sympathetic. He rarely felt anything but apathy towards anyone outside of their immediate family. "Unsurprising." His tone was dry and unbothered.

"Do you know whether Voldemort may have given _Daddy Dearest_ anything?" Sirius asked, eyebrow cocked. 

"I-" Lucius paused, glancing down to his arm. 

"Remember your true loyalties, boy." Grandfather warned.

Lucius bit his lip, clearly thinking. To lie would be a death sentence, if the Magics were called in they'd reap vengeance painfully and slowly. It was likely they wouldn't even need to be summoned. To lie directly to Lord Black would be an immense insult. However, Malfoy likely held _some_ loyalties to his father and may even for a time have believed in Voldemort's cause.

Regulus didn't know for certain. He knew not everyone was completely devoted to Voldemort. Some did not enjoy his senseless killings and some seemed smart enough to realise that at any moment, Voldemort may throw a tantrum and they'd pay the price for his bad temper. There were many that didn't care, of course, but Regulus didn't know exactly where Lucius' loyalties were aligned. 

But Lucius Malfoy was a _Slytherin._ Therefore, he knew when personal loyalties could be detrimental to ones survival. Nostalgia was a killer, if he allowed any love he may have for his father influence him, he'd be violently ripped apart by the Black Family Magics. He also knew when to protect himself and Regulus didn't doubt that had he remained a Death Eater, he'd have been the first to publicly renounce Voldemort should he fall. Lucius Malfoy was many things, but he was at least smart.

"He has." Lucius admitted. The moment the words came out he seemed to strengthen his convictions, subtly rubbing his thumb over his wedding band. Regulus felt that same pang of gratitude, Lucius really did care for Narcissa after all. "He was given an item many years ago. Far before even Bellatrix. Father showed it to me once, he said the Dark Lord recognised his devotion to the cause and wished to reward him. It's odd, Bella said the same." He mumbled at the end slightly and the three Blacks shared pointed looks.

"What is the item?" Grandfather asked.

Sirius looked eager, "Jewels? A sword? The famous Deathstick?" He referred to the Tale of Three Brothers, making a fancy wand movement in the air.

Lucius blushed slightly, "No, actually. It was a plain black book. More like a journal, in fact."

Regulus wondered if he looked as unimpressed as he felt. "A journal?"

"You mean Voldemort gave your dad a diary?" Sirius snorted unamused, "Pull the other one."

"You know I am not lying!" Lucius hissed, "I couldn't even if I wanted to! It's a flimsy old black journal, it has those-" He waved a hand at Regulus, "The initials of the man you named at dinner. Tom Riddle." He looked slightly angry and Regulus felt satisfaction pool within him and resisted the urge to purr contentedly. So Lucius had been smart enough to know what that meant, the Dark Lord had lied and he wondered if that had influenced his decision in any way. 

Lucius was certainly a blood purist. Regulus couldn't exactly say _he_ wasn't either. He didn't think all muggleborns and muggles should be murdered, but he couldn't help but feel a certain _distaste_ towards them. Not for their lack of power, he knew the idea that muggleborns were weak was inherently untrue. It was more to do with their attitudes and lack of propriety. Perhaps he was just a little _classist,_ a symptom of his upbringing that he was unlikely to shake anytime soon. Though he probably would in time, Remus Lupin certainly wasn't rich and yet he was one of the most fascinating people Regulus had ever met.

Oh, he'd gotten distracted.

"Bring it to me."

"I can't!" Lucius gasped looking at Grandfather imploringly. "My father keeps it locked away in his study. The amount of protections on the door alone- and not to mention wherever he's stashed it! It could be anywhere, under any number of curses, wards and enchantments."

Sirius shrugged, "I'm sure you'll manage."

Lucius spluttered, "I can't! I'm-" His cheeks pinkened, "I'm not good with wards. I can identify Dark curses and I'm sure I could manage the enchantments. But the wards my father uses are _extensive._ He's always boasted his ability with Runes."

Regulus perked up at the mention of his favourite subject. Sirius looked at him strongly, "No."

"But-"

"No!"

"Sirius..." Grandfather warned.

Sirius turned to him, "You can not be okay with this!"

"It's the only way. A Lord can not enter another Lord's property without permission and at my old age I'd only slow you down." Grandfather looked down slightly, but his voice was resolute in his conviction. "Regulus is extraordinarily talented with Ancient Runes. It will be quick - Lucius will be able to guide him."

 _"Us._ There's no bloody way Reggie is going in alone." Sirius insisted. "I don't trust Malfoy as far as I can throw him, I'm going with them. I'll use-" He looked at Regulus who nodded. He knew Sirius was talking about the cloak.

"Um- sorry." Lucius shook his head slightly, "It sounds like you're talking about breaking into the Manor and raiding my father's study. All for.. a journal?"

"Not just any journal, Lucy." Sirius snarked, "Obviously." He rolled his eyes. "And yes, we are. Got a problem?"

Lucius gaped slightly. "The Dark Lord-"

"I already have it on good authority that the Lestranges are no longer being watched." Grandfather mused, "I'm certain Voldemort will have moved by now."

Lucius spluttered, "How on Earth did you-"

"You came very quickly. Also, I highly doubt due to your shift in loyalties that Voldemort is very happy with your family at the moment. I'm sure he'd have killed you by now if he were living in the same place as you." His brow raised and Lucius grimaced slightly, likely imaging the torture Voldemort would put him through. "Curious. You've kept that from him for days now."

"My father think's it unwise to tell him. He is-" He shifted, "-displeased with me. But he does not wish to lose his only child." _Heir._ "The Lestrange's are housing the Dark Lord. Bellatrix does not seem to know what happened. I assume it is because nobody was able to tell her. Though she likely assumes and the Dark Lord will inevitably summon me to find out what happened at dinner after she left. My change in loyalties will eventually come to light, it is only a matter of time." Regulus commended him for sounding so firm when he was clearly fearing for his life. Every so often he'd tense his left arm as if expecting a summons, it reminded Regulus of the first few days of the holidays at Grimmauld Place.

"Of that, we are all aware." Grandfather agreed, "He will not be happy once he finds out and it is likely you'll want to keep your head down for a while." At Lucius' shocked look, Grandfather raised a brow. "Do not look so surprised, Heir Malfoy. You are Narcissa's husband and you did willingly swear fealty to me. I do have an obligation to look out for your safety." He rolled his eyes. "Are you willing to help us in this endeavour?"

"May I know what is so important about the journal, at least?"

"Not a chance, Lucy." Sirius laughed, "You're lucky. We _could_ call the Familial Magic in right now to judge whether you deserve our leniency. So be grateful. You've been given a second chance." He narrowed his eyes, tongue poking at the inside of his cheek before he clicked his tongue. "You won't be getting another."

"Yes. Our house has graciously granted you mercy thus far," Grandfather added, "Do not take our kindness for weakness. It is only due to Narcissa's affections for you that I have decided not to make an example out of you yet. But I'm sure I could always find another, a much more _suitable_ husband should you push your luck further."

Lucius gulped and Regulus tilted his head, "In fact, I remember Heir Greengrass and Narcissa always got along well." Lucius' eye twitched and he clenched his jaw, "I'm sure he'd be most eager to win her affections. Didn't they date for a while, Sirius?"

Sirius smiled innocently, "I believe they did. I distinctly remember Cissa saying she had rather enjoyed his company." She hadn't actually said anything as they weren't speaking at the time, but Sirius had seen them in Hogsmeade together and she'd looked relatively happy.

Lucius twitched again and Regulus kept up his guileful image, "Hm. Well, perhaps they'll have a chance to reconcile."

"Alright, enough. I'll do it. But I meant it, it won't be easy." Lucius snapped before lowering his tone. "Father is generally quite cocky and doesn't believe anyone would be able to get into the Manor, so that won't be an issue. But entering his study is extremely difficult and escaping unscathed will be even harder."

Regulus waved a hand, "You said it yourself, you'll be able to get past the curses. Sirius is more than capable too. I'll hand the wards."

Lucius turned, looking slightly condescending as he said, "Not to insult you, _Black,_ but my father's wards are not going to be broken by a sixth year."

"Don't insult him, Malfoy." Sirius warned dangerously, still leaning casually against the wall. 

"Peace, brother." Regulus murmured, stretching out carelessly with a feline grace. "He means no harm. Do not worry, Lucius. It will be dealt with. Now, when will we be going? I suppose we will need time to plan but we're on a time limit. We go back to Hogwarts in a matter of days."

Sirius shrugged, "Could we go now?"

Lucius gaped, "Are you _mad?"_ He spluttered.

"Slightly."

Grandfather raised a hand and the room silenced. Regulus was always slightly in awe of the power he wielded and how he was able to silence a room with one motion. "Is your Manor teeming with Voldemort's henchmen still?" Lucius shook his head, "Is there anyone else at the manor?"

Lucius nodded slowly, "Narcissa. Father is out and Mother is in Italy on a shopping spree."

"Will your father be back soon?" Sirius asked.

Lucius shook his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "No. He will be... _occupied_ for a while."

The slight pause and the awkward look on Lucius' face revealed what he was truly trying to say but refused to actually admit. Lord Malfoy was clearly with a lover whilst his wife was away. Not uncommon for purebloods that married solely on their family's insistence. Very few actually committed to their spouses and had either a string of lovers or a separate partner that was 'kept' by them. There was quite the scandal a few summers past when Lord Crabbe's long-time lover ended up pregnant and ran to the Prophet with the story, exposing many of his bedroom secrets. The Crabbe's still hadn't recovered from the embarrassment.

"Ah." Sirius leered, "Good for us. And him." He winked.

Regulus sighed, ignoring his brother. "Well. Is today suitable? Apparently the whole 'reckless planning' thing is genetic." He said pointedly at Grandfather.

Grandfather looked amused, "If the Manor is empty aside from Narcissa, it will be easy to slip in and out unseen. The only worry you'll have is the elves and the wards."

"The elves are no problem. As long as I order their compliance they will listen." Lucius assured. At Sirius' raised eyebrow he rolled his eyes, "It is in my best interest to be helpful, is it not? I'm hardly going to lie or mislead you. The elves will listen to me." He said darkly and Regulus wanted to claw his eyes out. He knew that tone. It meant he would likely threaten or bully his elves into keeping their silence.

"Great!" Sirius cheered. "Let me grab my cloak and we'll set off." He grinned, looking at Grandfather who nodded, allowing him to leave. Sirius sauntered from the room and Regulus watched Lucius curiously.

Malfoy hadn't been lying earlier. It was certainly in his best interest to be helpful and he knew it.

"You will stay safe, won't you?" Grandfather murmured in his ear. Lucius seemed to be mentally freaking out, likely due to the danger and the lack of concern the three Blacks showed. "I know Sirius would not allow any harm to come to you, but-"

"I won't let him get hurt either. I can protect myself, Grandfather." Regulus insisted. "It's sweet and all, but I'm not a baby. I can look after myself."

Grandfather shook his head, "I know you can. But your brother has a tendency to lose his composure where you are concerned. He acts cocky and sure of himself, but he would do something very reckless if he believed you were in danger. I need you to try and keep him tethered."

Regulus frowned at him, "Sirius isn't some loose canon."

"I know. And I trust my Heir completely." Grandfather assured him, "I only worry. You boys are supposed to be safe and yet-" 

"It'll be fine." Regulus smiled slightly, "Lucius will lead us through the Manor, and his presence will mask my use of magic. He'll also be able to bypass any wards on the property just by walking us through the front gates. I just hope Narcissa will not be there, it'll only put her in danger if she sees anything. You and I both know she _will_ keep in contact with Bella. She loves her sister too much not to."

Grandfather nodded, "I am aware. She is still in contact with Andromeda for the same reason. Lucius will guide you but I do not trust the boy. He has already shown that ultimately his loyalties can be swayed, there are ways around vows, after all."

Sirius whirled into the study grinning. "Well? C'mon! Chop chop, Lucy. Let's not dally."

Lucius snarled at the nickname but merely turned his back on Sirius. "My Lord?"

"Go. If anything happens to my grandchildren, the Familial Magics and Voldemort combined will not be able to match the level of pain that I will bestow upon you."

The blond straightened, "Of course, my Lord."

Sirius clicked his tongue and said goodbye to Grandfather with Regulus doing the same. They all made their way through the manor silently. Well, mostly silently. Every so often Sirius would make some kind of pointed insult or comment that Lucius would narrow his eyes at before ignoring completely. Sirius seemed to be increasing the acidity of his barbs, clearly trying to break the mans composure. When he began questioning the level of troll in Belladonna Malfoy's blood, Regulus intervened and asked if Lucius had a plan.

The man seemed offended, "You sprung this on me a matter of _minutes_ ago. Not one hour ago I was at home with my lovely wife. Now, I'm supposed to have come up with a plan?" He asked. Regulus rolled his eyes and raised a brow. "I have some ideas. The best way there is through apparition, the floo is monitored. We'll apparate to the front gates and I'll be able to bring you in as my guests. It's fortunate that you've both been there before and are related to Narcissa, the wards will happily accept you as visitors of my wife."

Sirius nodded slowly, his cheeky, smug act having dropped. His brother looked very serious in that moment, much more like the perfect Heir Black that Mother had tried to sculpt him into. "I'm guessing from there you'll have to warn the elves and then get us to the office. You and I will take care of the curses and enchantments, Reggie will be able to do the wards."

"About that, I really must impress upon you the level of-"

"Lucy." Sirius warned.

Regulus sniffed, "Do not doubt my abilities. Let's just get this over with. I've already had to do this once." Regulus grumbled, lowly enough that only Sirius with his canine hearing was able to understand. Lucius looked irritated but acquiesced. They continued through the grounds, walking out to the large gates. It was a shame they couldn't apparate from the Manor, but Grandfather didn't want to allow Lucius that kind of ability. Regulus and Sirius could, but Lucius couldn't. And they needed to apparate with Lucius because Regulus hadn't began learning apparition yet and Sirius hadn't been to Malfoy Manor in a long time, he couldn't picture it well enough to reduce the risk of splinching.

Curse his late birthday. He wouldn't be taught officially until he was near the end of his sixth year!

Lucius grasped onto them both tightly, he gave a nod of warning before they all closed their eyes and Regulus felt that awful swirling feeling of apparition. Lucius' apparition was as noisy as everyone else's and Regulus affirmed his need to change that. There was just no need for the noise. He wondered if perhaps Runes on his shoes or some kind of spell would dampen the sound.

"Black?"

"Regulus!" Sirius called, snapping him from his daze. "Bloody hell, Lucy's apparition is rough but it's not that bad."

Regulus shrugged the comment off and was amused when Lucius glared at his brother. "Sorry. I was thinking through the plan. Or lack thereof."

Sirius huffed. Lucius ignored them both and raised a hand to the gates, a small pulse was felt and they jolted open slightly. Lucius waved his wand and one of the gates opened wide enough for them all to slip in. He flicked his wand to close them and they continued on to the Manor. 

As Regulus walked up the stone pathway, he had to begrudgingly admit Malfoy Manor was stunning. It was a large, stately Manor home that had extensive grounds surrounding the place. Acres of land cut the Manor off from any potential visitors making it one of the most secluded places to live in the country. It was striking, truly, with four towers and stone bricks making the Manor seem like a small, slightly square castle. It was in his opinion, a less grand Black Manor. But perhaps Regulus was biased. 

The hedges were perfectly cut and created a neat walkway to the entrance. He couldn't see it of course, but around the back there was a large hedge maze that lead to a small Quidditch pitch. He'd always thought the hedge maze was a pointless show of extravagance. Nobody used the thing and it didn't exactly look like much unless you were gazing at it from an aerial view. Only then did it look like anything beautiful, otherwise in Regulus' opinion, it was just a formation of trimmed green bushes.

"Dolly!" Lucius called as they entered the Manor. The entrance was ostentatiously grand and Regulus couldn't help but admire the glittering chandelier. The walls were high and the large staircase before them was intricately carved with small depictions of battles and important moments without history. Again, a nice detail. But pointless, _who's going to see them?_

(Regulus truly was biased and he had to bite his tongue from making a snarky comment at the ugly rug that laid on the nice marble flooring. In his defence, it looked ugly. He didn't care that it was over three centuries old and made from woven gold and Acromantula silk. It was _hideous.)_

"Master calls Dolly!" The elf cried. Regulus felt his breath hitch at the tiny terrified creature. She was so very small, smaller than the average elf and was averting her eyes and hanging her head, but she stood as tall as she could. Her eyes were large and watery and she had small bandages on her tiny hands, the tattered fabric looking like she'd cut it off the grimy sheet she was wearing. Regulus clenched his fists in anger and felt the need to cry out. "Dolly be's sorry, Master! Dolly not be finishing-"

"Silence, swine!" Lucius snarled, Regulus bit his lip to stop from lashing out, reminding himself why he was there. Sirius laid a hand on his upper back, sensing his distress. "You will inform the others to keep out of sight and out of our business. You will not leave this house, nor will you inform my father of anything that happens here today. If my wife calls, you will not tell her you have seen us." He glared down at the elf, "Am I clear?"

"Oh yes Master! Dolly be doing that- only, Master says nobody supposed to be here." Dolly wrung her hands, pinching between her fingers and scratching at her skin roughly with her long fingernails. She looked terribly torn, unsure whether to keep to the Lord's orders or listen to the Heir who was right in front of her. "Dolly can not- Dolly must-"

"You will listen to your Master!" Lucius growled, "You can beat yourself later. Leave us." He hissed and the elf began violently smacking herself on the face as she disappeared. Lucius turned to them, "Idiotic creatures." He groused, sneering as he turned away, leading them in a specific direction that Regulus had never been down before.

Regulus was stood rigidly and it took several prods in the back from his brother to get him moving. He followed stiffly, inwardly thinking about that poor elf and how she must be hurting herself right now. All it would have taken was a few kind words from Lucius and she wouldn't have had to beat herself. But instead he had encouraged it, making her feel like she had to.

Sirius nudged him, "Calm, little lion. You can rip his head off later."

Regulus nodded stiffly. He certainly would be.

"This is his main office." Lucius called and they hurried down the hall they'd entered. "The handle and the main doors are warded heavily." He added.

Sirius cocked his head and examined them. "Right. You work on the main body of the doors and the surrounding area and I'll tackle the door handle." He said and they got to work. Regulus hung back slightly as his brother rapidly untangled the multitude of curses on the handle, "Bloody hell. The alert charms, I get. But the entrail-expelling curse? On a door handle? What if he sleep-walks and touches it?"

Lucius rolled his eyes, brow sweating slightly as he worked on the area around the doors. They'd found that the more Sirius removed from the door handle, the weaker the wards around the area were. Regulus had piped up that this was unsurprising as wards were like a chain and the more you weakened the whole mass, the easier unravelling it all would be. "That would never happen. Besides, the doors are not aimed against him."

At that moment, a bright purple flash came from the door and Sirius hurriedly threw up a shield. The three paused for a moment. "Fuck. That was close." Sirius gulped. "Extra layer - fired as soon as I worked my way to it." He shook his head, looking begrudgingly admiring. "Clever."

"I told you. My father is no slouch." Lucius hissed.

Regulus had been carefully hanging back, mind still not quite in the right place but the threat to his brother's life brought him back. Seeing that poor little abused elf had made him queasy and he resolved to focus more.

"Oh now that's just petty. Hair loss? Oh- fingers to jelly? They're getting weaker." Sirius hummed.

Regulus shrugged, "But it's effective. Hair loss would distract someone like you and jelly-fingers would make it difficult to cast affectively. I'm assuming he wouldn't expect an inside job." He waved a hand at Lucius who was still flicking his wand, "Therefore, he likely would have been alerted by now and things like that would just be to slow the intruder down."

"If they weren't already dead." Sirius snorted, "That purple hex would have boiled my liver!"

Lucius looked subtly impressed, "You recognised that?"

"Of course." Sirius scoffed, looking offended. "I'm the Heir to the Black family. I've _forgotten_ more Dark magic than you've ever _learned,_ Lucy." Sirius grinned wickedly. The eldest of the trio looked insulted but only sniffed and look away. Sirius turned to Regulus and wriggled his eyebrows cheekily.

"Idiot." Regulus murmured. At that moment, Sirius shot to his feet and a small golden glow came from the door. His brother gestured grandly and Lucius only muttered before a soft glow came from the door.

"Okay, it's clean." 

Sirius hummed and immediately grasped the door handle firmly. When Regulus gasped, Sirius turned to him, "What? You don't trust me?"

Regulus frowned and stared him down, "You shouldn't ever be so reckless!"

"Pot. Kettle." Sirius grumbled.

Lucius pushed past Sirius and entered the room. "If you two would stop bickering-"

"Shut it, Lucy."

"That's it, stop calling me Lucy or-"

"Both of you shut up." Regulus demanded wearily. He looked around the room and carefully waved his wand. He muttered to himself, breathlessly listing off spells and enchantments to make it easier to detect where the Horcrux was. "Lucius. Do you have any idea where the journal is?"

Malfoy stopped glaring at Sirius and looked around the room, "It's hard to tell. I know he keeps things in his desk drawer but I'm sure there's more hidden compartments in here than secret passageways in Hogwarts."

Sirius seemed to take that as a challenge and nodded. "Right, well. Fan out and get going. We won't have all day. An older timer like Abraxas won't last long in bed without needing a Pepperup."

Regulus' cheeks burned. His brother had no decorum. _How could he speak of such intimate acts so casually?_ Lucius huffed slightly at the thought of his father in bed and starting mumbling to himself as he crouched by the large desk. Sirius himself let out another laugh, winked at Regulus and started prodding at the bookcase by the window. 

Regulus however, stayed firmly in the middle of the room. He slowly turned in a circle and tried to see if anything was out of the ordinary. The large oil paintings had been frozen and were eerily staring, looking much like muggle art. Regulus skimmed over the bookshelf, that was too obvious. He felt the desk was the same. It was too _obvious_ and he tried to recall Grandfather's office. He would never reveal his most secret hiding places, not to anyone, but he knew there were many within his office.

The boy narrowed his eyes at the rug he was standing on. A hidden compartment in the floorboards would make sense, but that too would be far too obvious. He could feel a slight irregularity after taking a half step forward and surmised there was definitely something below him, but he didn't move further yet. He raised his wand and took a risky move; he shot out a pulse of his own magic.

Sirius whipped around to face him, feeling the caress of his brother's magic while Lucius jerked up, likely feeling more of a rough prod at his spine. "What the hell was that for?" He demanded.

Sirius glared at Lucius but turned cautious eyes on his little brother. Regulus grinned, he'd felt something. He moved smoothly to the antique walnut bureau that was beside the bookshelf. It had a smooth curved top and a small cabinet but Regulus ignored that. Too simple. He poked at the air around it and smirked, "Got it."

"What?" Lucius abandoned his fruitless task and came to stand beside the Black brothers. "Are you certain?"

"I can feel it." He mumbled. And he could. He'd always been sensitive to magic - Mother had to refrain from introducing him to the family for months due to his outbursts. Every time he was overwhelmed he became more delicate but he refused to let that happen, instead, he channelled his natural sensitivity and allowed himself to feel the magical barrier around the bureau. 

Although the whole thing was covered, there was an intense thickening by the side, in between the bookcase and the bureau. "Sirius, I don't want to risk it with magic, pull the bookcase away from the bureau." He called softly, eyeing the space where he _knew_ the book was hidden.

Sirius huffed, "Bloody manual labour." He groused before moving to the other side of the bookcase and pulling it towards the door. Regulus would have asked Lucius to help but his hands were perfectly pristine, pureblood hands that spoke of his lack of _physical_ activity. Sirius however, was Gryffindor's star Beater and therefore could certainly handle moving such a heavy piece of furniture by himself. Sirius had admitted that he used muggle weights to train his muscles - a tip he'd gotten from the first captain he'd had who had been a half-blood. "Happy?"

"Yes, yes." He murmured distractedly. The magic was thick but certainly paled in comparison to Voldemort's. The cave had pushed his sensitivity to it's limits so this was nothing really. Regulus gripped his wand tightly and began casting. He could feel his wand tip heating up as he surveyed the Runes that had lit up. "What an amateur." He giggled softly.

 _"Excuse_ you?" Lucius demanded.

"He didn't even bother to cloak his Runes. Anyone can just come, use a spell learned in fourth year, and there you go. The Runes are _visible._ Of course, for many that wouldn't help _much._ But if you can see exactly what Runes have been used, you already know how to go about detangling the messy web he's created. It truly is messy, no craftsmanship." He sniffed. Sirius barked out a laugh and leaned back, wand still raised.

"Get to it, little brother. We don't have all day and as much as I'd love to watch Lucy make that face at you, we're on a time limit." He reminded and Regulus wished he could turn and rub Lucius' face in it more. The terrified eyes of little Dolly were burned into his mind and he resolved to do this quickly so he could get to punishing the blond prick. _Sorry Cissa, might have to mess up his pretty face._

Regulus set to work. He began by identifying the base Rune. That was always the easiest way to go about it and he was honestly disappointed by how easy it would be. Once he had done that, he carefully used a spell to make his wand tip emit a chalk like substance. He used this to make adjustments to the Runes, weakening them symbol by symbol and feeling the magic respond to his work. 

"The use of Jera is quite clever." He muttered to himself, "Altered slightly to keep the cycle going, the wards regenerate annually. Matches the meaning for regrowth and the harvest cycle."

He leaned back after roughly a minute and balanced on his heels, resting himself on the backs of his feet as he smiled at his work. Runes were so simple yet so clever, the slightest mistake ruined the whole thing or could even rapidly improve the chain. It really depended. He raised his wand silently dispelling the easiest of the wards, some of which had fractured dramatically upon his Rune adjustments.

Regulus hummed to himself cheerily. This was fun, in hindsight. Much more preferable to being torn apart while Inferi drowned him and he hallucinated his brother telling him he deserved it. Yes, certainly. 

It was likely this would be the easiest Horcrux to obtain so he let himself enjoy it. Somehow robbing Gringotts would be impossible and they didn't even know what the others were. 

"An odd choice to use Berkana." He mumbled. He heard Lucius snort slightly and he tensed, "It _is_. It would work much better if he were a mother or if Voldemort were female, it's a Rune that symbolises femininity, motherhood, protection of a child. To use it here is an odd choice. It's been used for it's ability to strengthen concealment which I understand, but it's still odd."

Sirius crouched beside him, "Doing good, little one? Not too tired, right?"

"I'm doing perfectly fine, Siri. I told you, these wards aren't that bad." He smiled slightly as another fell. They were certainly getting darker and he knew it was a clever trick. "He's done one thing right. He's put the more difficult ones last, it makes the potential thief lower their guard."

"Yet you tried to insult the Runes used earlier." Malfoy sneered.

Regulus scowled, "As I said, using Berkana is an odd choice. It weakens the inherently masculine Runes such as Uruz. Uruz helps to strengthen the formation of the wards, it opens them up for untamed potential and allows the wards to formulate perfectly. This has been weakened. Even worse is Thurisaz! It's a direct force of destruction and defence, yet it's been diluted by the use of a maternal Goddess Rune, it's a strange choice. If he had backed it up with perhaps Dagaz or Perthro for the purpose of balance or extra femininity it would have worked. Letting the attack Runes be weakened-"

The timing was perfect, really.

A soft glow started before a powerful beam shot straight from the side of the bureau and vaporised the plant in the corner of the room. Regulus had pulled Sirius and himself aside when he'd felt the spark and it had saved them. The plant and the pot it was in had been reduced to a small pile of ash and Lucius sneered, "Told you so."

"I knew that would happen, fool." Regulus sniped. "In case you didn't notice, we aren't a pile of ash right now, are we?"

"And you tried to insist they were weak. I told you, no sixth year-"

"Idiot!" Regulus snarled, "If the Thurisaz Rune had been at maximum potential that beam would have been able to search out any living being close by and neutralised us instantly!"

Sirius gaped, "What?"

Lucius looked uncertain but sneered still, "The ward still triggered-"

"I had to let it happen! I knew it wouldn't be anything too bad. Thurisaz is the _embodiment_ of reactive force. Think lightning bolts and deafening thunder. It was weakened heavily by the poor choice of Runes and my own interference. If your father had been smart enough to use the correct Runes, I doubt I'd have made it this far with no injuries. Yet look at me, perfectly unharmed."

Sirius panted slightly, "Reg-"

"Shut up." He snapped, "Stay here, don't move. Like I said, they're more deadly now. Some of them have to be triggered or else dismantling them will take hours. That was some kind of high powered _Reducto_ paired with a _Confringo,_ I believe. Terribly clever, no way _Abraxas_ invented that." Regulus murmured, making Sirius snort and Lucius glare at them both.

Regulus continued to pick apart the wards. Once or twice he'd dart out of the way either to avoid the pulse of magic as a ward softly imploded or to avoid a curse he had to trigger. He'd already removed the alert wards and his Rune modifications ensured that Abraxas Malfoy would not be made aware of his precious items being stolen.

"So, uh, what's this thing about the Runes being weak?" Sirius muttered.

Regulus turned to him, "It's not too bad, really. He focused more on concealment and disguise but in doing so he sacrificed true protection. It's quite Slytherin really, a Gryffindor would go on an all out assault."

Sirius looked slightly smug and Regulus rolled his eyes, _"However._ A Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff would understand the need for balance. Disguise and protection _without_ needing to sacrifice one for the other. It could be done. It would be harder, much trickier in fact, but it could be done. I believe he wanted to hide it as best he could and didn't much think about the possibility that someone may actually steal it from him."

Sirius nodded slowly, "I understand. You're doing good though. Besides the odd, uh, interruption." He said, referring to the small red flash that Regulus ignored. A weak stinging hex, pathetic.

Though, that's not to say Abraxas Malfoy hadn't put _some_ enchantments for the purpose of incapacitating any thief. Once, Regulus had even had to throw up a powerful shield charm to block a high powered blasting spell while Sirius wrapped himself around him to shield him further. Regulus had frowned at this, Grandfather's warning coming to him. He'd think on it later but it worried him enough he'd almost let a mild brain pulveriser get him. He kept calm when this happened, knowing that if Sirius realised he was distracted and therefore behaving recklessly, he'd likely just try to blast the bureau apart to pilfer the wreckage for the book.

Malfoy had thankfully taken refuge by the desk, flinching every time Regulus let something go off. But the lack of the snide blond, hovering over his shoulder and likely hoping he'd mess up somewhere, had relaxed him.

"Done." Regulus called. The last ward fell and he immediately dodged out of the way when Sirius pushed him. The panel that had been on the side of the bureau fell off as Sirius sent a reduced blasting hex at the wooden panel, just enough to create a small hole. "Sirius!"

"What? This is taking forever." He huffed, pulling out the book with the dragonhide gloves he'd brought. Sirius had brought the cloak too, in case they needed it. Well, in case _Regulus_ needed it. Sirius would rather Regulus get to safety and Malfoy could rot in a ditch for all he cared. He gestured to Regulus who enlarged the small bag Grandfather had slipped him which would conceal the magic of the Horcrux. Regulus had also had the forethought to bring a small Dark stone that Grandfather had enchanted ahead of time and slipped it inside the hole. 

It had taken a few days but Grandfather had presented a few small rocks that he'd coated in layers of Dark Arts spells, rituals and curses. It left the stones so inherently Dark that to the average person, they'd feel like a Horcrux. Or at least, as close to one as they could get. Grandfather had needed two whole days to recuperate fully and the brothers had been on high alert as Walburga was still sniffing around. They'd planned to leave these wherever they found a Horcrux, besides the cave of course as nobody wanted to let Regulus go back there. (He'd tried to suggest they go with him; they'd refused.)

The brothers shared looks as Malfoy hissed, backing away from the aura of the diary, "What _is_ that?"

Sirius looked at him and sneered, "You don't get to know, Lucy." 

Malfoy's jaw ticked but he conceded. He waved his wand at the bureau and turned to the boys, "He'll notice it's gone."

Regulus grinned. "No he won't." He aimed his wand and made quick work of replacing the wards. "The magic will feel the same and hopefully Voldemort won't bother to check. If he does, well, we'll be too busy choking on our own blood to care."

Sirius shifted uncomfortably but pocketed the bag. "Come on. We need to get back. I'm sure Cissa will notice you're back eventually."

Lucius nodded and Sirius pushed the bookcase back as Malfoy went about straightening the room. "I'll replace the curses on the door later. Father won't come here until tomorrow morning, most likely. But it's best to be sure."

As they left the office, Sirius took a moment to lather the door handle in curses, ignoring Malfoy's insistence that he would do it. "Not that you aren't good, Lucy." He smiled, adding a bone disintegrating hex for good measure, "But I'm better."

Malfoy ignored the jab and clenched his jaw again, "You're back in the family as Heir, _Black._ You may wish to keep a respectful tongue. Not many others are as courteous as I."

Regulus wearily sighed, he really couldn't be bothered for this. Sirius laughed, still looping the door handle with a variety of curses. "Whatever. Come here." He said and gave Malfoy a mere second before cutting the mans palm. Lucius flinched and tried to pull away but Sirius held firm. "You need- _stop._ We need your blood. You'll have to put your father's on here eventually. Knock him out somehow and add his, but for now, yours will do."

Malfoy scowled, "You could have asked."

"Could you two please just stop?" Regulus barely refrained from groaning. Sirius nodded and pulled away from the door, gesturing that he was finished and they could finally leave. They swiftly walked the halls, allowing Lucius to go first to ensure nobody else was lurking around the corner. 

Once they were back in the entrance hall, Sirius turned to Regulus with a strange look. "Do you think your elves will tell?"

"Of course not!" Malfoy snapped, "The idiot creatures listen to orders."

"Don't they usually listen to the Lord first?" Sirius probed. "How can you be certain? With Kreacher, the thing's so _whipped_ he'll do anything Regulus asks. Who's to say Dolly isn't oddly fond of ol' Donna?" He sneered condescendingly. 

Lucius sneered and snapped his fingers. The elf appeared looking worse for wear. Regulus' heart throbbed at the sight. She was trembling, covered in bandages around both of her hands and they seemed freshly burned. "Have you told anyone of what has happened here today?"

"No Master!" Dolly cried, squeaking as she put her injured hands over her eyes. "Dolly not be tellin' anyone!"

"Did you punish yourself for failing earlier?" He inquired. He seemed to think making a show of punishing the poor elf was impressive. Sirius looked faintly amused and Regulus guess that was why Lucius was having so much fun.

"Yes Master! Dolly be's ironing her hands and slamming her ears in the oven! Dolly be telling Mimsy to do the same. He be boiling his hands now Master!"

"Yes, Mimsy was _supposed_ to have made my tea, wasn't he?." Malfoy mused, "Have him make me a pot or I'll pour it over his head. I'll be back in a moment."

Regulus swallowed down the nausea he felt. Having your elf injure themselves for something so minor sickened him. Then asking the poor creature to work as if nothing is wrong? It was sick. Plainly wrong, and yet so normalised that some felt it was something to be proud of. Bella had certainly spun tales of her elf being tortured by her and he knew one of the Slytherins a year or two above him had been regaling the common room with stories of battering his elf.

They continued on to the main door and Regulus felt rage swell within him. He kept calm, breathing deeply as they approached the front gates. _Not yet_ , he told himself.

Malfoy opened the gates, standing beside them on the other side. "Must I apparate you back?" He asked, lip curling slightly in distaste.

Sirius shrugged innocently, "How else will we get there?" Malfoy rolled his eyes and grasped them both, apparating them to the gates of Black Manor. 

Regulus stared up at the beautiful wrought iron gates, taking in the intricate Black crest on the centre. He smiled. He loved this place. The stunning gothic Manor loomed over them and he let out a pleased sigh. 

"May I leave now? Or does Lord Black require my presence?"

Regulus turned to him with a serene smile. Sirius took a step back, casually leaning against the gate as Regulus approached Malfoy. "Lucius." He said, gaining the taller mans attention. The blond looked down at him questioningly and Regulus remembered little Dolly, fearfully twisting her ears and picking at her burned fingers. Regulus didn't waste a moment, he angled his body sideways, swiftly made a fist and punched the pompous prick right in the cheek.

Malfoy gasped, shrieking slightly as he was sent careening to the side with the force of the punch. "Wh-"

Regulus kicked him in the shin to make him fall and scowled, "You _sicken_ me. Do not think I will forget this."

Malfoy's cheeks darkened in anger as he tried to stand, hand going to his robes to pull out his wand. Sirius approached and kicked him in the back, winding him and making him fall over.

"Yeah. We definitely won't be forgetting this anytime soon.." He trailed off, "But you will." Sirius raised his wand and cast;

" _Obliviate_!"

"You were successful?" Grandfather asked, pausing his pacing of the study and turning to his grandsons.

Sirius dumped the bag on the desk. "Yes. We obliviated the peacock. He'll remember to replace the wards on the office door but he'll forget this whole excursion after he goes to bed. Even used Legilimency to check, he's completely blank."

"He remembers your summons and your warning though. But he'll remember it as a warning about his true loyalties. The diary and the break-in are gone. Oh, and the fact that I punched him."

Grandfather startled, "I expected that of Sirius, I'll admit, but not you." The curious tone to his voice made Regulus smile wryly. Not many things could upset Regulus enough he'd start throwing punches, but with Sirius even the slightest thing would make him start brawling like a muggle. He'd once thrown a teacup at one of the Crabbe's they'd had a playdate with as children. He'd then cracked the china saucer over the boys head and broke his nose for making a nasty, sexist comment about the Greengrass daughter that had been with them. 

"He has the sweetest house-elf." Regulus supplied mournfully. "Dolly. Cutest little thing." He mumbled, slumping his shoulders.

Sirius smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry. I implanted a little suggestion in his mind. He'll be nicer to her, promise."

Regulus met his brother's eyes, "Really?" The thought of that poor elf and what she must go through daily made him sick. It was worse because the whole house-elf system trapped them in unending servitude. They were slaves to their own impulses and couldn't go against their owner's orders. It was horrible.

"Promise!" Sirius cheered, he opened the bag and dumped the book out on the desk. "So, this is it."

They all recoiled as the malevolent magic filled the room, sucking the cheery atmosphere out and replacing it with a vile hatred. The wards hissed angrily at the Horcrux's presence, just as they'd done when Regulus had Kreacher bring the locket from his trunk. Grandfather immediately put the diary in a secure box, calling a house-elf to hide it while they spoke. He would deal with it properly later.

Regulus huffed out a breath once the Horcrux was gone. "Okay, that was definitely a Horcrux."

Sirius groaned, "But it's just a stupid diary! Voldemort's used Slytherin's locket, that makes sense; he's a Slytherin and supposedly it's also an heirloom. As for Hufflepuff's cup, it's a Founders item, priceless! But a ratty old journal?"

"It has his old name on it." Grandfather pointed out.

"So, chances are it's of sentimental value." Regulus added. "It may even be his first one."

Sirius cocked his head, "Baby Dark Lord experimenting with soul magic... why not use your diary? Makes sense, I guess." He shook his head. "Who knows honestly. This just complicates things further. What if he had a special quill he loved? Or a wristwatch? Or a pair of shoes? This opens up so many possibilities."

"It would be good if there was a way to track them." Regulus mused, "I don't even think such a thing would be possible. Horcruxes are inherently quite unstable, I can't imagine they'd even be plottable."

Grandfather huffed, "If someone could figure such a thing out, it would be you. Perhaps it'll give you something to focus on. We have two Horcruxes and for now, that is amazing progress. Focus on school, first and foremost. Horcruxes should be an afterthought." 

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I'll be graduating soon!" He reminded him.

"Yes, and then you'll be hopefully joining the Auror academy. That's a very intensive program. You'll be dead on your feet."

Sirius huffed, "I can do it. I'm not abandoning this hunt. I'll come for Easter and we can bloody raid Gringotts!"

Regulus laughed, "Oh yes, Siri. Because that's just so easy to do. Won't tip Voldemort off at all."

"Speaking of." Grandfather grimaced, "If Voldemort is tipped off somehow, he will likely do something drastic. He could hunt out all of his Horcruxes or even attempt to make more." They all shuddered at the thought. "Exactly. So we _must_ tread carefully. I will attempt to liaise with the Goblins, perhaps I can offer them an old Black heirloom of value. We have a set of dinnerware they've been after since the fifteenth century."

"It's worth a try. It'd be fun, but robbing Gringotts is likely to draw too much attention." Sirius acknowledged.

Regulus stared at him. "It could also trigger a war with the Goblins and it's very likely we'd be slain before we even reached the vaults but sure, _fun."_

Sirius grinned and leaned over to ruffle his hair, "Got to lighten up, baby brother!"

Grandfather reclined slightly in his chair. "For now, we have no plans. Nothing concrete anyway. Though, I didn't exactly wake up this morning with a plan to send you two off to Malfoy Manor for a heist, so who knows what may come. We may get lucky again."

"True." Regulus nodded, "May I go to my rooms? I'd like to clean up. Malfoy's slime is on my hand."

Sirius barked out a laugh, "Me too. I'd love a nice relaxing bath. Horcruxes make me feel unclean." He shivered. "Being in Malfoy Manor is even worse, the smarminess is too much!" He cried dramatically and Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Off you go." Grandfather allowed.

Regulus felt slightly more accomplished as he went about his business. He still couldn't take baths but Sirius was trying to get him used to large bodies of water again. They'd attempted to submerge him in a small pool they'd thought up in the Room of Requirement but it had been too much and too fast. Even just stepping into it had made Regulus panic so much he could have drowned had Sirius not been there.

He felt good though, thinking of the days events. He hadn't exactly expected to acquire a Horcrux, but it was a nice change of events. It certainly broke up the agonising monotony that had begun to take place the past few days. This gave him something to be proud of. He'd gotten _two_ of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes now and he had faith that Grandfather would be able to work out how to acquire the cup. He still had a strange nagging thought about a possible fourth, something about Rowena Ravenclaw spoke to him, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was.

It didn't matter, at least not for now. Grandfather was right. He needed to take a break, they'd done well so far. He sneered, _Albus Dumbledore certainly hadn't done that much._ Though, he knew, he'd be content to take the credit should Regulus become desperate enough to approach him.

Which would _never_ happen, Regulus had Sirius and even Grandfather helping him now and he knew they'd be able to do this together. Hell, even Lucius Malfoy was a helpful addition. 

They'd get through this war together, for Regulus _refused_ to lose any of the people he loved. He was making friends now! He'd even approached a Ravenclaw in his year to work on an Arithmancy project together and she had complied, striking up a tentative friendship with him. Regulus also had Remus who was well on his way to becoming his best friend, he truly enjoyed the older boys company and he always felt an odd contentment with him. Merlin, even _Potter_ was starting to grow on him! He didn't want to lose any of them.

Especially not _Sirius,_ he couldn't go on if he lost him. He'd likely turn himself into a bomb, blow up Tom Riddle and take half of magical Britain with him if such a thing happened. He _couldn't_ lose Sirius and his recklessness worried him. He'd seen how quick he was to throw himself in front of that curse for Regulus and he'd felt sick thinking that he could have lost his brother due to his own carelessness.

He would never allow such a thing to happen again. He had to get better. Once he was back at Hogwarts he would train; he would train and train until he passed out from exhaustion because he could not accept anything but his best.

He had to be better. He had to be the _best._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew this was a big one!
> 
> This might seem a little rushed, but there's not really a good reason for them struggling to get the diary now that Lucius has sworn fealty to their House. So, it's a little rushed, but it's the best I could do. There'll be more drama on the Horcrux hunt and then tackling Voldemort. There'll be plenty more action to come!
> 
> Anyway! I hope you enjoyed! Sirius and Regulus are such cuties and I'm glad you all seem to like them - aren't they the sweetest brothers ever? See the seeding for Remus/Regulus?? And Reggie is going to make another friend that is NOT one of the Marauders, any guesses who?
> 
> (She's from canon! But don't worry, there won't be much of a focus on her in case anyone is worried, she'll just be a side-background character that happens to be Reggie's friend because baby deserves more friends!)


	20. The Advancements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot changes between Christmas and Easter, Regulus starts to feel things and perhaps friends aren't a weakness after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is covering a few months and is a little scattered but hopefully understandable!

Returning back to Hogwarts after all the drama of the holidays was odd.

Everyone was going about their business as usual and Regulus couldn't help but find it strange. They were all just so unaware of the danger they were in. That, or they were wilfully ignorant to try and keep their peace of mind. Which honestly, Regulus could not fault them for.

The news of Sirius' ascension to Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black had spread too. The purebloods of Britain had all seen their tapestries update and also saw Bellatrix Lestrange's removal from the family. It had left them all confused and according to Grandfather he'd had many inquiring letters only _just_ on this side of polite. To further their confusion, Grandfather refused to say a word on the subject.

At the platform, he and Sirius had been scrutinised heavily. They'd arrived together with Grandfather, in all his glory as Lord Black. Regulus and Sirius had stood on his right side, chatting quietly and pretending not to notice the gawking of the onlookers. Even the muggle family members of the many muggleborns seemed to understand that something was not quite right about this picture.

They'd spent the train ride watching amusedly as small groups walked past their compartment, gossiping and trying to sneak a glance at them. The Marauders and Regulus were completely unseen by them all, but the many students valiantly tried to catch a glimpse, desperately searching for a compartment that had already been spelled to pass them by. Regulus and Remus had happily caught up while James complained loudly about having lost his best friend to the dark side, a joke certainly, but Sirius had been strangely subdued on the matter. Regulus hadn't paid attention to Pettigrew, he didn't care what the boy did honestly.

It wasn't that he _hated_ him. Far from it. He just felt such indifference towards the boy now, his dislike mingling with a bored but distinct distrust in the little rat. He would never allow the other boy anywhere near him or his mission and if it were up to him he'd be as far away from his brother as possible. Sadly, Sirius was quite adamant that Peter was his friend and he'd eventually prove himself worthy in Regulus' eyes.

That would _never_ happen.

He was very astute and he could see the rat for what he truly was. A pathetic leech that had seen the worth in his dormmates and had somehow gotten them to befriend him. He was pretty sure it had at least started through pity, Remus had admitted he'd felt bad leaving the fourth person in their dorm out when he'd distractedly recounted the beginnings of their friendship one day in the library. He had also admitted that Sirius and James hadn't really cared much, letting the boy integrate himself into their group, liking having someone that could be bossed around and practically worshipped them

Regulus knew of course that it had progressed from there. Sirius, James and Remus all genuinely liked Peter and thought he was a true friend. But Regulus knew better. He was a rat and ones Animagus form was a personification of their inner selves. You couldn't hide your true self in your form, your form _was_ you. Your form was the animal that best represented everything you were.

They'd admitted to the Marauders that they were working on Regulus' transformation and James had been very helpful. He was even better at Transfiguration than Sirius was and had quietly given him many tips that had actually really helped. It was how he'd known he was a small, four-legged animal within only a month of meditation. Sirius had been rather put out but he assured his brother that his base information had all been useful. Sirius was good at Transfiguration, second in his year in fact, but there was a reason Potter was first in the rankings.

The welcome back feast and the evening that followed had been eventful. Sirius' return to the family had caused quite a stir in pureblood circles, but Bellatrix's dismissal from the family and Regulus' obvious siding with his brother spoke of his feelings on the subject. He'd been given icy glares by at least half of the upper years, the others largely ignoring him and a few seemed subtly impressed.

Once inside the shelter of the Slytherin common room, he'd been accosted by the seventh year Death Eaters, all demanding to know what was going on.

"You a blood-traitor now, Black?" Avery sneered. "Like your pathetic brother?"

"My brother," Regulus began smoothly, "Is the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. A title which is so far above your station you aren't fit to polish his shoes."

Avery had tensed, narrowing his eyes and Rosier cut in, "So you are?"

"Apparently. Having a brain and a sense of self-worth is supposedly enough to make me a blood-traitor." He sniffed.

Snape glared down at him and Regulus cursed his own short stature, "Rumour had it that you were one of the Dark Lord's Marked followers, and now you're supposedly above this?"

Regulus gave him a condescending smile, "It does. Not that you would understand that given the fact that you're gearing up to throw your life away and lick a psychopath's boots. The again, you've certainly had the past seven years to practice, haven't you Snape?" He grinned, pointedly looking at the purebloods surrounding the boy.

Snape tensed, "Disgusting little-"

"Stop." Travers interjected, "You truly have fallen, Black. Your whole House has fallen. Once such a noble and proud family-"

Regulus sighed and sharply clocked him in the nose, smiling when he heard the soft pop that signified a clean break. He'd gotten rather violent, he'd noticed.

Ever since he had punched Malfoy, he'd gotten more interested in muggle style fighting. It was so unexpected, particularly from a pureblood that nobody ever prepared for it. Regulus had eagerly cracked his knuckles and begun working out with Sirius who had instructed him how to effectively throw a punch without breaking his own thumb which had only made him more interested. Apparently Remus had taught him, he reminded himself that he must learn all of that werewolf's secrets. He was utterly _fascinating._

"Never insult my House, Travers. Everyone knows your whole bloodline is teeming with parasites. I wouldn't be surprised if your ancestral home ended up on the Gringotts for sale list. _Your_ House's idiocy has gotten you into quite the debt, Travers. You're still paying off your expenses to the Blacks." He reminded him. 

Travers' cheeks reddened and he clutched his broken nose. He looked away furiously and Mulciber came to his friends defence. "The Dark Lord will learn of your treachery Black. He'll rip you and your whole family apart, you shouldn't be so cocky."

"Your Dark Lord does not interest me. Pay attention to the Prophet in the upcoming days, his true ancestry is rather enlightening." Regulus grinned slightly, he drew his wand and subtly flicked it. The others quickly armed themselves, Snape even having the forethought to immediately raise a shield. Didn't matter, it was too late. "Touchy. I was just going to remind you not to insult me or my House. It will not end well for you boys."

He'd gotten rather protective of his House. He'd always been proud of his lineage and their long history, but with the recent changes, he and Sirius were both much more open in their pride. Sirius had already quietly told the Marauders about the changes and how he was actually very glad he was the Heir as it gave him the ability to reform. 

Regulus watched as they shared cautious looks. They were smart enough to know that he must have done something, or would very likely do something should they push him. Rosier furrowed his brow and took a step back, "Right. Off you go then Black. But you'd better watch yourself. We don't take kindly to blood-traitors." He warned and Regulus rolled his eyes.

Evan was talented, but very set in his ways. He was firmly of the belief that muggles and muggleborns would ruin their society and that they had to be taught that no matter what, they were inferior to purebloods. Regulus always felt like they didn't need to show this, but nobody ever wanted to listen to him. Muggleborns were already at a disadvantage in the magical world and purebloods practically ran the Ministry, why did they feel the need to torture and kill to show their 'superiority'?

To Regulus, it didn't make much sense. He'd unlearned some of his nastier prejudices and was comfortable in believing he held his own worth and that, quite frankly, others didn't matter.

He didn't care if Lily Evans was talented, he was better. He didn't care if Severus Snape was intelligent, he was smarter. And he didn't care that the Dark Lord was a powerful megalomaniac with dozens of sycophantic servants, he _would_ take him down and show him the might of the Blacks.

Regulus had continued on from the little group of Slytherins and sauntered into his room. He'd happily dispelled the little vomiting hex that would have hit him when he went to bed and smiled at Yaxley the next day with an extra bright smile, showing him his failure in his rosy cheeks and bright eyes.

It had been good to see the small group of Slytherins that had accosted him the previous evening entering breakfast sweating profusely as they looked around the Great Hall, obsessively looking around to find the source of the constant hissing they were hearing.

It would only last a few more hours, but the dark look Snape sent him and the lack of Pomfrey's healing work on Travers' nose showed they'd gotten the message.

When the flutter of owls sounded exactly one week after they returned. Regulus smiled into his tea. Grandfather had warned him that it would be soon and he could feel it, it was today. 

The shocked exclamations of his peers was music to his ears and he calmly continued drinking his tea, savouring the rich flavour as those around him were given a complete shock.

'' _The Self-Styled Lord Voldemort True Heritage Exposed!_ " The Daily Prophet boasted, headline in thick, simple bold lettering, making it impossible to misread. He watched amusedly as the paper spoke of anonymous sources being interviewed that had gone to school with Tom Marvolo Riddle, how he'd had a strange little group called the Knights of Walpurgis and their leader had ordered them around even then. Regulus felt it highly amusing; many of the Dark inclined purebloods were gaping at the paper, glancing around at each other with lost expressions.

He heard roaring laughter from the Gryffindor table and met his brother's eyes, they both raised a brow at the same time and watched as the others in the room all read the paper. The Prophet had gone into explicit detail, compiling Regulus' and Grandfather's notes that they'd been sent into an easy to read exposé piece. It showed the Dark Lord's growth from an orphaned half-blood bastard child into a charismatic, talented teenager with a secret penchant for the Dark Arts. It even hinted at him having began his transition into Lord Voldemort at a young age, acknowledging the behaviours he exhibited with his 'Knights'.

It wasn't perfect, but it got the message across. The Prophet had a tendency to over-exaggerate and there were questions hinting that Voldemort's sire may have been Grindelwald or the muggle madman Hitler even though they'd pointed out the name Riddle was likely his father's surname. It was very dramatic and there was links to Voldemort not being entirely human, hinting he was some kind of creature or demon, but the facts were clear.

Clear enough for the Prophet, anyway.

It was a shot in the dark whether people would choose to believe it. Those that were smart enough would either look at the facts and make their own conclusion or they'd choose to ignore it. He could already see some of the more stubbornly devoted purebloods sneering at the Prophet and glaring at those around them, Goyle, Crabbe, Mulciber and Avery were some. Rosier looked oddly unsure but ultimately threw the paper aside while Snape stared at Regulus with an odd look.

He was inwardly pleased to see that some of the purebloods or half-bloods that had previously been staunch in their support, were looking mightily uncertain, glancing around unsurely and beginning to pen letters to their families.

In the days that followed, the Greengrass family - who had previously been neutral but funding the Dark Lord from the behind the scenes - openly condemned Voldemort and gave a hefty donation to the Auror Corps. As the Blacks had already done this, with the Malfoy's following shortly after, this made the Greengrass family the third Dark inclined family to openly denounce the Dark Lord.

Light inclined families such as the Potters, Prewetts, Longbottoms and Bones' were already openly against Voldemort and they too spoke publicly about the hypocrisy of the man. He'd also seen the Crouch Heir who was a year below him seemed lost; there were rumours from some of the Slytherins in his year that he'd wanted to break free of his fathers oppressive and honestly downright abusive ways and Regulus wondered if he's been planning to join Voldemort to spite him. He'd have to mention something about that to Grandfather, perhaps he could do something.

Honestly Regulus couldn't blame Crouch, he'd had the misfortune of meeting Bartemius Crouch and he was an utter arsehole. Regulus couldn't stand the man and from the way his son spoke of him, he felt the same. The few times they'd spoken, Barty had complained subtly about how his father held extremely high expectations from him and if he did not meet them, there was trouble. He could read between the lines well enough to know what the boy meant.

Either way, things had changed a lot in only a matter of weeks. Previously hated families were getting along swimmingly, the Potters and the Blacks had formed an alliance, citing their Heir's as proof that the two families could work in harmony, especially when having a mutual enemy. It had prompted some of the other Light inclined families to be a little more accepting that not _everyone_ that had been historically Dark would automatically side with a new Dark Lord.

Of course, not all of them were. And the few that had been a little more accepting were still clearly unsure of the true loyalties the Dark held, but the same went for the Light. He'd already heard that Lucius Malfoy and the Prewett brother's apparently got into quite the spat that Grandfather had had to break up, right in the Atrium of the Ministry. _Embarrassing._

Things continued to advance within the next couple of months too. Sirius and Regulus had been open in their changed relationship, not bothering to hide the face that they were friends as they'd planned to originally. It had also lead to Regulus deciding he was done catering to other's desires and had prompted him to start publicly interacting with his few friends and the Marauders.

He had actually even sat by Sirius at lunch one day after a rough hour of Potions having to listen to that prick Yaxley whisper about what the Dark Lord would do to him once he was out of Hogwarts. He'd marched straight up to the Gryffindor table, shoved Pettigrew out of the way and sat beside his brother. Regulus had gotten incredulous stares from many, across pretty much all of the tables. 

A Slytherin simply did _not_ invade the Gryffindor table very often, and although Regulus was Sirius' little brother, some of the lion's clearly had a problem with it. They'd tried to tell him it was against the rules, he'd clapped back that _no, in fact, it is not, keep talking and I'll stick a fork in your eye_.

(Yaxley really knew how to rile him up)

Sirius had laughed, James had snorted and Remus had chastised him gently but commended him on doing something good for himself.

He'd ignored how flustered Remus' words had gotten him. That boy was dangerous. _Damn him and his kind eyes._

Regulus hadn't paid attention to Pettigrew's reaction at his words, but he had seen the way the boy looked at him every time he decided to sit with the Marauders.

Ever since he'd first done it, he did it much more often. He'd even began sneaking into Gryffindor tower and it was now much more common to see _five_ boys together instead of the regular four. At least, when Regulus wasn't with the few other friends he'd made in his year.

James Potter seemed to actually like him, seeking him out sometimes to ask for advice or to go over some new homework assignment he was struggling with. Remus and Regulus already had a decent friendship and it only improved, Regulus often snuck into the hospital wing and stroked the boys hair as he slept to comfort him after the full moon. He and Sirius were still meeting up in the Room of Requirement, duelling and talking about everything and nothing all at once. Yet Pettigrew... well, he had his own feelings, _clearly._

Peter would often give Regulus these... odd looks. Odd, because he didn't know how else to describe them. They weren't particularly angry or curious, and yet they certainly weren't happy. The looks were strange. Like he was trying to work something out but didn't quite know where to start or whether he could be bothered to waste his time. Sort of bitter, perhaps. Maybe some slight jealousy, he wasn't sure. It was odd because nobody else seemed to pick up on it, or at least, he didn't think so as nobody had said anything. 

Until, of course, they _did._

Funnily enough it was James that was the first to say something. They'd been hanging out in the Marauders dorm on the weekend late in the evening. Remus was sitting up against his headboard, scratching his chin with the end of his quill every so often as he read through one of his essays, double checking it was up to his own standards. Sirius and Regulus were laying on Sirius' bed, the older boy huffing that Regulus hadn't been spending much time with him recently _(it wasn't his fault he'd gotten a detention for hexing Yaxley, he should be commended for lasting as long as he did without killing the prat)_ and so he was practically trying to smother Regulus with his dramatics. Peter was leaving to go down to the kitchens having lost their little rock-paper-scissors game (he still didn't realise James was cheating) and that's when James had brought it up.

"Have you lot noticed anything weird with Wormy lately?" James asked casually, every so often he'd catch a golden snitch that was fluttering around the room. He and Regulus were both taking turns catching it and letting it go just for something to do.

Sirius blew a raspberry on Regulus' cheek and leaned on his elbows to look at James. Ignoring Regulus' spluttering, he asked, "What d'you mean?"

Regulus noticed Remus make an odd face from across the room and he instantly knew that the older boy had noticed something too. He was glad honestly, a part of him felt like he was making it up or projecting his disdain, searching for any discrepancy and seeing a problem where there wasn't one.

"He's just weird lately. Not as..." James waved a hand, making a helpless gesture. "You _really_ haven't noticed?"

Regulus pursed his lips and met Remus' eyes. He raised a single brow slightly and the boy nodded slightly. So he wasn't alone.

Sirius frowned at James before sighing, "I have. Thought it was just me."

"Oh bloody hell, finally." Remus groaned. "I knew Regulus had picked up on it and he's only _just_ become a part of our group. You lot sure took your time." Regulus felt himself buzz internally, a pleasant warmth filling him at knowing they thought him part of the group. He viciously wrestled it down, he wasn't about to get all mushy.

(He'd squeal about finally having friends in his dorm later.)

"Oi! I'd noticed!" James insisted, grabbing at the snitch one last time before sitting up and clutching it. "He's weird, right? Like, you said you've noticed, so you see it too?"

"Yes." Remus sent a quick look at Regulus, "I do. He's been off for a while."

"The last month or so specifically." Regulus mentioned casually, flicking his hair out of his face. His tone was pointed and from the stiffening of his brother, the grimace on Remus' face and the slight inhale from James they got the message.

"It's not 'cause of you." James said certainly, "Peter likes you! Hell even I like you now!"

Regulus looked at him blankly, "Thank you so much James, what an honour." He said dryly. "I'm not upset about it. I know he doesn't like me. That's okay, you don't have to like everyone. I don't like Yaxley very much so-"

"Yes but Yaxley is a prejudiced prick. You should have done more than make him come out in boils." Sirius admonished.

"I wanted to make him think he was choking by enlarging his tongue but I thought it might be a bit too much." Regulus admitted.

"Maybe you could break his nose like you did with Avery." And wasn't _that_ a good idea.

James spluttered, "That was _you?"_

"Hm. Well. As long as you won't report me Mr. Head Boy." Regulus teased but nodded proudly. "He deserved it. I broke Travers' nose the first day back and apparently Avery was just itching for it. With the way he was harassing me non-stop, I thought I'd give him a taste."

Remus sighed wearily but he was clearly trying to hold back a grin. He failed. "How come neither of them have said anything?" He asked curiously.

"Slytherin business is Slytherin business. We don't involve teachers, _ever."_ Regulus stated. "It's a very important rule. Slytherins are supposed to present a united front but once inside the common room, everyone's fair game. It's why nobody's bothered to do anything publicly for a while. The only reason I was caught hexing Yaxley was because I did it publicly. If I'd have waited until I was back at the dorms, I'd never have been caught."

James whistled, "That's actually impressive. I thought it was weird that Avery refused to say who broke his nose. With what happened to Travers and-" He paused, "You broke _Goyle's_ nose too?"

"He's gotten so good!" Sirius cooed, "It's all thanks to me. And trust me, purebloods never prepare for it. Should have seen Malfoy, crumpled to the floor like a little baby."

Remus huffed, "I believe it was _I_ who taught you in the first place, Sirius. So credit goes to me." Regulus flushed slightly, he'd seen Remus throw a punch and they'd all agreed to never get on his bad side. His werewolf strength was unbeatable and even Sirius had gaped at their friend. "Did you say you punched Malfoy?" He asked suddenly, staring at Regulus.

He shrugged, fighting down the urge to preen at the impressed look Remus gave him, "Not the point. Slytherins don't tell on each other and yes, James, Peter dislikes me." He said, bringing the topic back to focus. "It's okay, really."

Sirius scowled, "If he's got a problem with you being here-"

"I don't think it's that." Remus started carefully, "I think he feels left out."

James gaped, "What? But- why? We're always with Wormtail!"

Sirius stared at Remus, "You've been thinking about this for a while." He accused.

Remus placed his essay on his beside table neatly, sitting so his legs were dangling off of his bed to properly join the discussion. Sirius crawled off of Regulus and sat on the end of his bed, putting him nearer to the boy he was interrogating.

Remus glanced at him wearily before nodding, "I have." He agreed, "I've been thinking about it a lot actually. It's the best answer I can come up with. He's been... off ever since Regulus first started being with us more. I think he feels like we're leaving him behind."

"Wh- but _how?"_ James cried. "Peter is with us all the time, right? I mean, not every second of the day but close enough!"

"He probably feels like your group dynamic has changed. Unsurprising since I suppose it has." Regulus surmised, shrugging carelessly. What did it matter to him? He didn't care if Peter felt left out due to his presence in the group, the boys insecurity was not his problem. If he felt like it was a real issue he should have told his friends but instead was choosing to stare at Regulus as if the looks would make him slither off back to the snake pit. 

"What do you mean?" Sirius frowned at his brother, "Nothing's really changed. We've just added you in to our little routine."

"Actually," James started, "That's not strictly true. You two are always off doing something. And don't think I haven't noticed you randomly disappearing off of the map!"

Sirius grimaced and Regulus rolled his eyes, "Black family business, James. I'm sorry, we can't say anything more." He said sternly. 

When the Marauders had finally informed Regulus about their 'map', he genuinely hadn't believed them. In fact, he'd demanded to immediately be shown the map in all it's glory.

He hadn't been disappointed, Remus had been the one with it in it's pocket and he'd had a very charming smile on his face when he'd said the password, revealing the contents.

Regulus had been so impressed he'd rambled on and on about the incredible magic that must have gone into it and began firing questions off about how they'd done it. A long list had been slowly recounted, each of them suddenly remembering another piece of the puzzle and Regulus had complimented them all heavily. He'd praised them for not only having such a creative idea, but being able to actually pull it off.

It truly was a marvellous piece of work, a map of Hogwarts that could tell you where everyone was in real time? Utterly _brilliant._

Sirius had proudly said it was his idea which had lead to a small argument between him and James as they both _insisted_ it had been their idea. All they could remember for certain was that it had been in one of Filch's detention and neither could actually remember who'd brought up the idea first. Regulus had insisted it didn't matter and had praised them both but made sure to give Remus more credit. He'd done most of the research after all.

James pouted but acquiesced, that little spark of jealousy was still there but much less apparent. "Fine. You can keep your little secrets, but it proves my point!"

Sirius sighed, "That is true. But don't just look at me. Reggie is always in the library with Moony or you'll drag him off to the Quidditch pitch for some stupid trick!" He pointed at James who gasped.

"It's not stu-" He coughed, "That is _not_ the point. We're all taking our time getting to know Regulus."

"More like sharing the shiny new toy." Regulus grumbled. They all turned to him and he huffed, "It's true! Remus and I will be studying and suddenly Sirius is whining at me for not paying attention to him and then minutes later James wants to talk about the Falcons."

"Falcons suck." James coughed into his fist.

"Agree." Regulus waved a hand, "Not the point though. I don't have an issue, but I can see why Peter would be left out. We have nothing in common so it's not like we're all that close."

Remus frowned, "That's true. I never see you and Peter interacting."

" _C'est la vie_." He gave an insouciant shrug. "He and I don't need to be best friends."

"You've got me for that anyway." Sirius grinned, reaching over and tugging Regulus' hair.

Regulus wrinkled his nose and batted his brothers hand away, "Idiot. No I don't. That's Potter's burden."

James laughed, "True. I got stuck with the mongrel."

Sirius gasped, "Wanker! You watch! Next time Evans asks where you are-"

"She asks about me!" He shrieked.

"She needed you to talk about those idiot Hufflepuffs from third year that caused a ruckus in Hogsmeade." Sirius chuckled, "Not like she wanted _you."_

"You say that but I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before they start dating." Remus shrugged, ignoring James' cheer. "Anyway, _I'm_ Regulus' best friend thank you very much."

Sirius turned to him sharply, "Oh?"

Remus flushed slightly, "Of course."

Regulus hummed, pretending to think it over. "Handsome, kind, intelligent," He listed off, "Strong, funny, quick-witted." He hummed again, "Can certainly keep up with me intellectually, a good thing considering the company I'm usually stuck with." He glared at Sirius and James who shared mischievous grins, "Hm. Okay. You're my best friend now."

Remus blinked looking very red, "Why thank you."

"No problem."

They never ended up actually discussing what to do about Peter though. They'd all sort of _forgotten_ about him until he turned up ten minutes later with snacks. Not exactly points in their favour, but in their defence James had started avidly talking about something his dad mentioned about the Order and Sirius had had to carefully work around the subject, ignoring the suspicious looks Remus was sending them both. When Peter came back, nothing was mentioned. They only shared cautious looks when he went to the bathroom.

After that, the subject was largely forgotten about.

Regulus had started to build a reputation within Slytherin.

He'd already had a few younger years thank him and the Black family for a starting a mini-revolt from the purebloods. Apparently many of them, particularly the little ones, had been terrified by their families insistence that they join Voldemort. Many of the minor pureblood families or well established half-bloods had decided to follow the majority and had been ready to sign themselves away to the tyrant.

After the Blacks, Malfoys and Greengrass' publicly shunned him, however, the others had sort of been _lost._ There was still plenty of support for Voldemort, but it was clear that many of the minor Houses were becoming more and more uncertain. The article in the Daily Prophet had been the first domino to fall and the increasing disappearances had been another. A few too many purebloods had disappeared for their liking, possibly the few that were brave enough to publicly question his blood status.

Many were discomfited by the Dark Lord's boldness and so they'd decided to align themselves with the Light or at least remain neutral, withdrawing all of their support. 

It wasn't as many as he'd like and really it only made a small dent in the Dark Lord's plans, but it was enough. When little Elias Max and Terrence Runcorn had tearfully thanked him, it had proved this was the right thing to do. It had filled him with an odd determination as well. These little children were fearing for their lives at such a young age. The two boys were only in second year and yet had already likely assumed their fate would be working as a servant to a Dark Lord, likely until they met an early death. How upsetting.

For someone who generally lacked empathy for those around him, he felt something strongly for children like that. He'd been in a similar state so he supposed he could sympathise better. He'd been utterly terrified and certain of his death at one point, it was only a matter of time for these younger years before they felt the same.

He had to put a stop to this war as soon as he could. For the sake of these poor kids.

As for the Slytherins that were still publicly on the Dark Lord's side, Regulus was a rather large enemy to them. 

Not only had his family publicly turned against Voldemort, but he and Sirius were forgoing all protocol and happily showing that the House divide was utterly ridiculous. Funny, because a few years ago Sirius and the Marauders had been the heads of the anti-Slytherin club within the school. Not that Regulus could blame them but things had certainly changed.

He'd even seen a third year Slytherin boy shyly ask out a Hufflepuff in his year. The other boy had nodded, cheeks pink and the onlookers had all cooed at the adorable sight.

So, yes, things had changed.

Another oddity though, was the seemingly random amount of broken noses and bruised cheeks having to be treated by Madam Pomfrey. The only thing the victims had in common was that they were Dark inclined as not all of them were Slytherins. Yes, many were, but there was the odd Ravenclaw thrown in there and even a particularly precocious Hufflepuff. They were all also in sixth year or above.

Whenever a new rumour of a new victim spread, the Head Boy would balefully glare at Regulus, who would smile serenely and munch his jam on toast. Sirius had practically broken a rib laughing and Remus had choked on his juice when James had continued to huff and pout about it. He'd soon cheered up however as the biggest change yet occurred.

Lily Evans willingly approached James Potter, a smile on her face and asked him to escort her to Hogsmeade.

James had gone completely crimson, gaping for a moment before he'd banged his knee on the table in his haste to stand. He'd split his lips into a wide grin, nodding so fast his words were difficult to understand but Lily had only smiled amusedly and walked away, shouting over her shoulder that he'd better not be late.

When they'd gotten him to the nearest bathroom so that James could splash his face with water, the older boy and cheered so loudly Moaning Myrtle had told them to shut up. Apparently they'd invaded her bathroom and interrupted her mid-morning cry for the day.

As Easter neared, Sirius and Regulus had decided to show the Marauders the Room of Requirement. They only had a couple weeks until the break anyway and after that the boys would need to extra space to practice for their upcoming NEWTs, so Regulus had softly give his brother permission to show it to them. Including Peter, though he _would_ have liked the leave the piece of vermin out of this.

Remus and Regulus had started spending a lot of time together and he'd hated having to lie about what he and Sirius were really doing. Something which he knew Sirius felt when confronted with the sullen look on James' face. 

Lily Evans had been frequently seen with their group but she didn't seem very comfortable being around them too often. Likely due to having her own friends and not quite understanding why the Marauders were so bloody _stupid._ Honestly, he didn't blame her for wanting her space. Besides, she was a very strong girl and she'd made it quite clear that although her and James were together now (James had cracked his glasses he was so ecstatic) that she was her own person and needed time with her girls. Alice and Marlene specifically, both of whom still weren't quite certain James was right for her but let Lily do as she pleased.

Not as if she'd listen to them anyway, Regulus meant it when he said she was strong. Stubborn as a bloody Hippogriff, that one.

Regulus had to admit that he liked her though. She was certainly well suited for James and she could run circles around most of the students with just her mind, let alone her abilities with a wand. It was actually seeing Lily Evans in his first year, hexing a boy two years her senior for calling her a mudblood that had solidified his beliefs that muggleborns weren't inherently weak just because they descended from muggles.

When they'd finally showed the Marauders the Room of Requirement, they'd all been just as stunned as Sirius had been.

Regulus had ensured they stood far enough back while he made a room appear. It had large windows and was divided into a duelling space and a small area with tables, chairs and bookshelves behind a partition. It was an adapted version of the room he and Sirius used for duelling. The library space was where they'd go over Horcrux plans or any studying they had to do. Regulus had to admire the duelling mats, they were perfect for practicing spell work as when one landed on them they cushioned the blow very well, something he and Sirius had learned over the past few months.

The dummy's too were brilliant. They could be altered to be more difficult to battle with or could be enchanted to rapidly change direction or plan of attack. It made for very intense and hard to predict partners which Regulus enjoyed. Sirius had acknowledged that in a real duel there would be less time to think but that especially skilled opponents would be completely ruthless and have years of experience. _Like Bellatrix or Voldemort_ , they didn't say.

James had been rightfully upset with them both but particularly Sirius. He'd demanded to know why they didn't tell them of this sooner as they could have used it to practice but Regulus had insisted they needed to trust them first. That _Regulus_ needed to trust them first. Remus had looked so hurt at this that Regulus had immediately pulled him aside.

He'd assured the older boy that he'd began to trust him almost immediately but he'd been unsure about James and it was only recently that he'd begun to lessen his dislike of Peter. Remus had frowned a little but accepted his reasoning. Regulus didn't feel like he deserved such a quick apology but his best friend was far too forgiving. He honestly didn't feel like he deserved Remus at all, the boy was everything he could have ever wanted and yet didn't ask for a thing in return. Which, he knew, was due to the years of believing he was worth nothing because he was a werewolf. Something he suspected the boy still believed.

After he and Remus returned to the group, he had noticed James and Sirius finishing up what was likely a similar argument with Potter giving him a very severe look. He'd admitted that no, he hadn't trusted James when the boy asked and assured him that he obviously did now or else they wouldn't be there. He'd largely ignored Pettigrew which in hindsight may be wrong but he just genuinely didn't _care_ about him. _Did that make him cruel?_

And it wasn't for lack of trying. He'd tried! He'd desperately tried to talk to Pettigrew, to befriend him. It was solely on the behest of his brother but a few too many awkward interactions had affirmed for Regulus that he and Peter were _not_ meant to be friends. They just had nothing in common and Regulus was often a little too sharp and sarcastic for the nervous, insecure boy. While Regulus himself found Pettigrew too slow and useless to even bother with. So he'd given up.

They weren't meant to be friends, that was okay.

The Marauders had thoroughly enjoyed the Room of Requirement once they'd gotten over their upset and it had been Remus that had given him a breakthrough on his little project.

"I wonder if we could add this place to the map." He'd frowned, looking down at the ratty parchment, "We've completely disappeared. It's odd, actually. When you go in the one-eyed witch passageway you stay on the edge of the map for a bit before you leave Hogwarts grounds. This though... we're just not there."

"I've checked Moony." Sirius said, "Walked through the door staring down at the map. The moment you walk through whatever door you've made you completely vanish. It's like this place isn't able to even be on the map."

Remus had frowned, poking down at the map with his wand. "Did you try?"

Sirius nodded, "Yep. Even tried from both inside and outside the room. It doesn't work."

Grandfather's words after they'd acquired the diary had stuck with him. Regulus truly thought that the idea of a Horcrux locator would be terribly practical and he desperately wanted to find a way to make such an item. He'd tried working with Runes but he needed a focal point. He'd have to use a Horcrux to actually test the idea out. When Sirius had shown him the map, the reason he'd been so eager to work out how it worked (aside his own curiosity) had been because of the uses it may have for their little hunt.

He'd pulled Sirius aside and told him one day. Regulus believed that if they somehow combined the map with a series of Runes that were designed to pinpoint the Horcrux and any magic similar enough to them, it could bring beautiful results. Sirius hadn't been sure however, stating the reason Regulus had already brought up at the Manor, that Horcruxes were inherently unstable and therefore couldn't be properly plotted.

"Oh." Regulus whispered. Unplottable. The Room of Requirement was Unplottable because of it's magical instability. The Room didn't appear as one thing, a mere thought could change the whole layout of the place. It could copy ideas from your memories or design a room fit for you that you may not even know you needed. It was heavily influenced by emotions and could adapt accordingly.

Somewhat like a Horcrux and it's ability to influence those around it and directly attack parts of you that you may hide or not even realise.

 _"Oh."_ Regulus gasped again. The others had all turned to him at this point. Sirius knew his facial expressions and could clearly tell he'd just worked something out. Remus and James weren't too far behind, having spent enough time with the boy at this point that they knew from his gasp of shock, he'd just come to a revelation.

"What's up, Reg? You look like how you do whenever you've worked out something staring you in the face. Like that time you didn't realise the lovely Miss Blishwick was asking you on a date." James teased. 

Regulus scowled and he noticed Remus huff slightly, "She was being ridiculous! How was I supposed to notice she was flirting? I thought she had something in her eye!"

Sirius grinned, "Oh!" He cackled, batting his lashes extensively. "You mean you didn't notice she liked you, my- what was it?" 

James threw his head back laughing, "Yeah! Oh, _Regulus_ , my 'Brooding bad-boy Black'." He swooned.

"Oh Merlin." Regulus groaned. But he couldn't help but smile inwardly. He liked feeling included after being alone for so long. It would likely wear off eventually, but even still after all these months he felt that same pang of happiness whenever he and his friends shared a joke. 

"I feel like I should be offended. I thought I was the dark and sexy brother?" Sirius whined. "You're the swotty little good boy!"

Regulus scoffed, "I'm a Slytherin, remember? I've been thought very mysterious to everyone, I doubt she even noticed me before this year." Regulus said, flicking a quill away from him that Sirius aimed at his head.

"Slytherin, shmitherin-" Sirius waved a hand. "I'm going to have to reclaim my title. I'll need you to wear James' glasses Reggie. Maybe borrow one of Moony's jumpers. I can't have you upstaging me."

Remus smiled looking inordinately pleased at the prospect, "I wouldn't mind." He pulled off his jumper, revealing his undershirt and passed it over to Regulus. The boy flushed slightly as he felt the warmth wrap around him, Remus was always so warm, inside and out. The soft knit of the jumper pooled around him, dwarfing his frame and the faded brown contrasted with his pale skin. There was the odd hole from the worn out state, but Regulus adored the feeling of it.

"Thank you." He whispered, cheeks pink.

"Me too!" James pulled out a quill and quickly Transfigured it into a pair of glasses similar to his own. "Sorry, kind of need mine. My lovely Lily _must_ be seen in all her beauty and admired accordingly!" He crowed.

Regulus inwardly marvelled at how quickly James had transfigured the glasses. He was a seventh year and so turning a quill into glasses wasn't too hard, but it was still impressive. James was just so _quick_ and it was as easy as breathing for him, he couldn't help but admire him for his skill. It was nice actually. He'd always thought Potter was talented, especially on the pitch, but he'd never been able to admit it. Too caught up in his bitter jealousy to actually give to boy a compliment, it was nice to be able to let that go.

"Thank you, thank you." Regulus said solemnly, placing the glasses on his nose. He sniffed, "How do I look?"

Remus squinted, James blinked and Sirius laughed. Peter gave the three boys a glance before looking back at Regulus, "Weird."

James squawked. "Don't lie! He looks..." He tilted his head. 

"Cute." Remus finished, "Very cute."

Regulus flushed slightly and Sirius cooed, "Aw! Look at my ickle baby brother! Tiny ickle Reggie!" He cooed, poking at Regulus' cheeks and pinching them. He started pulling away but his brother held tightly, "You look adorable!"

"You do." Remus blushed slightly at his admission.

"He looks like a kid playing dress-up! I swear that's what I used to do with my dad's clothes - we should stick him in adult clothing!" James gasped.

Regulus pouted slightly before scowling, he was no baby to play dress up with! "If you try it Potter I'll be mounting antlers on my bedroom wall. Might make a nice coat rack."

James recoiled, a hand going to his head as if trying to feel for his antlers. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't worry James, we'd avenge you." Peter smiled and Regulus wanted to throw something at him just for fun. Regulus really needed to stop being so hostile.

"Speaking of your Animagus forms.. any idea what you're going to be Reg?" Remus asked curiously, "I know you've been working really hard on your meditation."

"I've already done the potion, just waiting for a bloody lightning storm." Regulus huffed, "Honestly, if I'd have started a couple months earlier I'd have already done it by now but that stupid mandrake leaf-"

"Ugh, don't." James groaned, throwing his head back onto the chair he was lounging on. "We had to re-do that step like three times! It just kept falling out!"

"Keeping it in for a month does sound difficult." Remus shrugged, "But oh well, it's worth it I suppose. I wish I could be an Animagus.." He muttered.

Regulus frowned. He hated seeing Remus struggle like this. It was often hard for the boy to relate to the others because of his lycanthropy and although Regulus honestly didn't care about it, Remus certainly did. But he could understand, honestly. It would always be something that made him different and there was no way to change that. It's just how things were.

"We love you the way you are, remember that." Regulus stared him down fiercely and flushed when he heard James snort in the background. Remus gave him a wobbly smile, avoiding eye contact and biting the inside of his cheek. _Oh._ Regulus felt his face burn, _idiot._

"Chin up, Moony." Sirius smiled reassuringly, "Oh, wait, Reggie-" He turned to him, "What was it that made you freak out?"

"I didn't freak out." Regulus insisted. "I just realised something, is all."

Remus gave him an inquiring look, "I'm going to assume this is Black business?"

"That we aren't privy to." James groused, "Don't worry. We get it. Just, y'know, get's a little-" He waved a hand. Sirius and Regulus shared awkward glances and tried to divert the topic. Not exactly subtly, but it had to be done.

"Last Hogsmeade trip of the year is coming up, have anything planned?" Regulus asked the room.

It prompted James to immediately start talking about going all out on his date with Evans and Sirius loudly teased him about it. Peter didn't say much and Remus seemed oddly quiet, shrugging and picking at the cuffs of his sleeves. Regulus thought that very unlike him, but decided to let it go. Everyone had their secrets.

He would know that better than anyone.

The revelation he had about Horcruxes being similar in nature to the Room interested him greatly. He'd excused himself to his dorm for the night, ignoring his brothers pointed glances, a silent demand to know what had happened. He gave him an equally obvious look indicating he'd know when the others weren't around. 

Regulus had sat on his bed with pieces of parchment surrounding him as well as three different textbooks open in front of him. His notes were scattered all around him and some had been written on odd materials such as the inside of a chocolate frog box or the wrapper off of the ice mice Remus had given him one day out by the courtyard. He often had these random little moments of inspiration and he'd hurriedly write down a new idea of piece of information he'd either gathered or remembered suddenly.

His friends found it endearing apparently and Remus had taken to bringing scraps of parchment with him and a muggle invention called a _pen._ The muggle invention had, quite frankly, saved his school career.

Remus had shown him 'pens' and 'paper' and he'd been so impressed he'd sent off for a bulk order of the writing devices. He found them brilliant. He could understand the charm of parchment and quills, and he liked using them for his essays or for letters. But for a first draft or for class notes, it just made so much more sense to use paper and pens. Pens were brilliant! They didn't need to constantly be re-dipped for ink and they were much sturdier than a quill. 

Paper was much cheaper than parchment as well and was less brittle, though it certainly couldn't get wet, he'd learned. It was just so much easier to hurriedly write notes on paper and then write his essays up properly using ink and parchment. Sirius and James had stolen some of his equipment as apparently Remus had banned them from pilfering his supply. So clearly they agreed with him. Truly, pens were bloody brilliant, how had wizards not monopolised the idea sooner?

Remus had even allowed him to use some of his fancier pens, to test them apparently. They were beautiful and had Remus' initials engraved on the elegant, sleek barrel of the pen. Regulus had handled them with care and complimented them _heavily._ James had marvelled at the fact that Remus had let him borrow one of his fancy _'fountain pens'_ as apparently they were quite expensive and Remus never let anyone so much as _touch_ them. He'd blushed heavily at this and tried to ignore the fact that his insides were squirming with delight.

Regulus came back to himself and continued to pour over his notes for hours. He _knew_ it was possible, it had to be. _Yes,_ the Room was Unplottable, but not _exactly._

He'd listened closely when Sirius spoke of how once he actually crossed into the room, he vanished. However, you could still see the little marker labelled 'Sirius Black' _until_ he crossed the boundary of the room. That meant that although the exact location couldn't be plotted, he could get very close. Close enough that with some deduction skills, he may be able to actually identify where the Horcruxes were hidden.

For example, if a Horcrux were showing a location near a well-known pureblood residence like the Lestrange's or the Rosier's, then it was a logical conclusion that they may have one.

Regulus had viciously gone over everything he knew. He wouldn't be able to actually test his theory until he was back at Black Manor, which was good because he would be going there for the Easter holidays. They didn't know what to do about the cup as trying to break into Gringotts would be even more suicidal than the cave, something which he wasn't eager to try again.

It was also very likely that Bellatrix would continue to check on the Horcrux, she wasn't stupid like Abraxas or overly cocky like Voldemort. She was arrogant, but she was smart enough to know that you couldn't truly trust anyone but yourself. If was a Black teaching they'd all practically had beaten into them. You always run the risk of disappointment and disloyalty when you trust another, in this life, you can only ever trust yourself. And if you can't trust yourself then you do not deserve to wield a wand for your life is already forfeit. 

Regulus had always thought that a little harsh, but it made sense. In a very dark way. It was actually this teaching that had made him unwilling to trust others with the Horcrux mission. Speaking with Sirius and Grandfather had helped him loosen his hold on these ideas, however. Making his own friends and actually enjoying spending time with them only made him more relaxed.

He _could_ trust others now. He wasn't alone and he didn't need to shoulder all the responsibility.

Once he had that bloody Horcrux, he'd complete his little project and be able to track the other wretched items down.

He would not allow for anything less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, hope this wasn't too difficult. It didn't feel overly disjointed when I read through it but compared to the last few chapters it's more of a summarisation with a few key moments left in.
> 
> I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying! Black family drama is interesting and there will be more to come and Remus/Regulus is slowly starting out.. don't worry though, they'll be taking it slow at the minute! Reggie is clueless and Remus is very insecure - what sweet boys.
> 
> Also.. I posted a Jegulus/Wolfstar soulmate AU last night so check it out if you're interested! <3


	21. The Uncomfortable Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Easter approaches, The Marauders have a talk and Sirius has a very startling revelation as well as a good chat with his Grandfather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sirius is a little... intense again. Sorry!

Sirius had been excited for Easter holidays pretty much since they came back to school in January.

Now, he probably wasn't the only student eager to be away from Hogwarts for a bit, especially not in his year. Oh no, they all _desperately_ needed this final break before they'd be thrown headfirst into NEWT preparations, something he was not looking forward to.

But beyond that, he was desperate for some action.

He needed to get involved in the war again. It had become something of a drug to him, which wasn't exactly a good thing, but he couldn't help it. 

Ever since he and Regulus had reconciled and he'd held his baby brother, pale and shaking as he cried, he'd been determined to make Voldemort pay. The solidity of that oath only strengthened in the months that followed; seeing Regulus come into his own, make his own friends and finally seem happy and secure within himself. He'd been determined not to let him lose that and the only way he could assure Regulus' safety was by taking Voldemort down.

Learning of the Horcruxes and actually managing to get their hands on two of the things had made him feel terribly accomplished, but not _enough._ It wasn't enough. It simply wasn't. They had no idea what the others could be and Regulus had pulled him aside one evening, dragging him to the kitchens and watching the elves as he quietly informed Sirius of his breakthrough.

Sirius had been undoubtedly impressed. He'd assured Regulus that even knowing a rough location would be enough - they'd work it out surely. Regulus had given him a sad smile but had ultimately agreed. He hated that mournful smile. It was as if Regulus knew everything could come crashing down at any moment and didn't want to let himself be truly happy.

He'd noticed it more often when they'd just come back from the Christmas break, random moments where a beaming grin would suddenly falter and Regulus would turn oddly subdued. He'd gotten into a slight scuffle with Regulus about it and his little brother had cried in his arms again, insisting that he didn't deserve this happiness. Regulus had wept softly, sniffling into his shoulder and admitted that he felt undeserving as he'd failed in his mission. He'd involved more people and now he only had more to lose.

Sirius had gotten very upset and he'd even told Remus. He hadn't gone into detail and he had tried to imply it had something to do with Walburga's terrible parenting which, honestly, wasn't far off. Regulus wouldn't be so uncertain if she'd ever bothered to reassure her son that he was brilliant and deserving of love. But Walburga had never done such a thing and it had damaged Regulus.

It had gotten to him too, but Sirius had always brushed her words off. Her physical abuse always worked more on him as he'd never let her break him mentally. He knew from the moment she tried to convince him that muggle's had toxic purple acid in their veins that she was a compulsive liar and a prejudiced bitch. Sirius refused to believe a word she said after that, so any time she tried to tell him he was useless, he'd spat in her face. She'd begun to realise the best way to hurt him was either physically or by hurting little Regulus.

The day she first turned her wand on his brother was the day Sirius knew he fucking _despised_ Walburga Black.

Meeting the Marauders had only made him stronger; he hadn't lied when he said James had saved him in ways even he was unsure of. He loved his friends dearly and he would never be able to properly covey his gratitude for all they'd done for him. 

Regulus however, had always been more sensitive. She'd manipulated him heavily and twisted his mind. Regulus had never properly told him what happened in the year he was away and he could only guess at how bad she'd been. Walburga would have stopped at nothing; she had just lost her Heir to Gryffindor and she would not allow it to happen again.

He and Remus had smuggled Regulus out of the Slytherin dorms, taking him to the kitchens and had spent the rest of the night assuring Regulus that they both loved him _dearly_ and that he deserved to be able to lean on them. He had been unsure of how well having Remus there would go down, but Regulus had began to really enjoy his presence. It seemed to have been effective, he'd been upset with them both for talking behind his back but he'd forgiven them graciously after they smothered him with compliments.

That had been sometime in February and from then on, Regulus had barely faltered in his happiness. He seemed to realise that even if he felt he didn't deserve it, they'd continue to love him anyway. Especially Sirius, who had actually taken to randomly slipping into the Slytherin dorms and dragging Regulus up to the Room or Gryffindor tower. He couldn't help it. He was clingy.

James had laughed once roughly back in second year, bemoaning the day he ever introduced Sirius to tactile affection and hugs. Before that, he'd only ever hugged Regulus and that had all been instinctual. After that, it was common to see Sirius Black with his head in one of the Marauder's laps or an arm around one of them.

Having his little brother back had only made him worse. He'd become awfully clingy, always needing to reassure himself that Regulus was there. It had gotten to be unhealthy, in fact.

Since that day in Malfoy Manor, when Regulus had only just dodged out of the way of a spell that could have killed him, he'd admittedly gotten worse. It was like seeing the reality of the danger his brother was in first-hand had ignited a fire within him. He craved to see Voldemort dead and he'd often wake in the middle of the night, certain that somehow he'd lost someone precious to him.

This mainly only meant the Marauders (mentally he and the others were beginning to add Regulus as a fifth Marauder) and he'd need to see them for himself to assure himself that they were okay. It was usually on these nights that he'd sneak down to the Slytherin dorms to see Regulus, needing to know that he was okay. He'd even pull back the curtains on his friends beds, checking that all was well.

Some nights he'd be too drained to move. He'd taken to sleeping with the map under his pillow and he'd stare at their names on the map for hours, assuring himself that they were okay.

He'd have to tell someone eventually. It wasn't healthy and he knew he wasn't okay. But he didn't have _time._ He needed to see Voldemort in the ground, then he'd focus on himself later. It wasn't as if he was alone in this, they'd all started to see the affects of the war and all of his friends were coping in different ways.

James had taken to angrily scouring the Prophet, jaw set and determination in his eyes. He'd been all too eager to join his and Regulus' duelling sessions and sometimes they'd all duel together which helped prepare them for more difficult battles. For, a one-on-one was a nice thought, but in reality a battle was fast-paced, intense and unpredictable. James had also started studying more, desperate to learn more spells and improve his Transfiguration. He and Regulus had enjoyed a very interesting debate where Regulus wondered about how the subject could be used in battle. James had jumped at this, kissed Regulus soundly on the cheek and dragged him off to the library.

Remus too had changed. He'd gotten a lot more confident in himself suddenly and Sirius wondered if having Regulus around had prompted this change. He'd become very protective of his little brother and seemed to revel in having someone in the group that could understand him intellectually. Sirius was grateful for it, but sometimes he wondered at their closeness, a tightness in his gut as he studied them. 

The werewolf in Remus had begun to show more. He'd growl every so often and his eyes were permanently amber, staring everyone down who came close to the Marauders as if they were a threat that Moony was assessing. This had also been paired with a similar determination that was in James, a need to fight and prepare. Having duels with Remus was thrilling and Sirius had to admit that his generally mild-mannered friend was _fierce_ in battle.

Remus could move much faster than them all and anticipate where spells would hit with much more accuracy than a normal wizard. He was also much more durable; James and Sirius had paired up against him and they were both exhausted by the end while Remus was only panting slightly. Regulus had been flustered at this, probably due to how well Remus had fought against two very capable wizards. It didn't bode well for them and Remus had grimaced, mentioning that it was likely the werewolves of Britain would choose to side with Voldemort, particularly as Fenrir Greyback was firmly on his side.

Remus had also brought the physical aspects to light. He'd showed them all how to properly throw a punch, something his mother had actually taught him when they'd thought he wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts. Sirius had gaped when Remus had the Room produce a wall that he promptly punched a hole through, not even flinching and barely gaining a scratch on his knuckles. Remus had quietly informed them that when it came to fighting werewolves, they'd have to pull out all the stops, they couldn't hesitate for a second for they had a hidden strength, proving it with his demonstration.

Regulus had said it was good practice for them all at least, and Remus had been slightly embarrassed by all of their compliments. As good as they were at duelling, Remus was one of the best Sirius had ever seen. Sirius had only managed to beat him by using much more grey curses and he knew that if they hadn't been in Hogwarts and able to use Dark Magic, he'd have won much quicker, but Remus held his own terribly well. He had been able to stand tall against both James and Sirius at the same time for Merlin's sake!

For duelling, they'd all had many matches against each other and the rankings were usually Sirius in the lead, Remus right behind him (oftentimes they'd end up drawing) with James and Regulus following. Peter wasn't much good but he was very handy with shielding charms and his Animagus form would keep him safe, so Sirius wasn't too worried. 

Sirius and James had seen Remus doing something odd one day and they'd confronted him about it. When Remus had gone bright red and admitted that what he was doing was 'scenting', Regulus had spluttered. Apparently, wolves only did that with their packmates and it was very rare for a werewolf to do that to humans as it was uncommon for a werewolf to bond with humans so strongly that they became _pack._

In fact, it was unlikely unless the human was the wolf's mate, something which had made Remus jerk and look around cautiously, not meeting their eyes like a child caught sneaking food from the kitchen. They'd let the subject of mates go, but it was clear something about it made Moony act weird.

Sirius had been oddly flattered that he was considered _pack._ He'd suspected, but to know for certain was nice. Remus had said all of the Marauders were pack and had assured Regulus that included him too. Sirius honestly thought this was what had truly allowed Regulus to feel comfortable in their friendship and he'd seen Regulus quietly chatting to a Ravenclaw in his year with a smile on his face. It was nice seeing him make friends.

When it came to Peter, he had gotten a lot more nervous. Any loud noise or sudden movement would make him startle, skittering away from the danger and retreating to a safe place. It was oddly reminiscent of his Animagus form and Sirius had been dejected by this. Seeing Remus, James and even Regulus stand tall as the danger grew had filled him with pride and seeing his other friend so unwilling had disappointed him.

He let it go however. He couldn't exactly blame Peter, things were getting dark.

The disappearances had gotten worse, at least once a week someone was either found dead or reported missing. There had been many attacks too, villages and small towns had been raided, usually those with large mixed muggle-magical populations. There had also been many muggleborns that had been sent the ominous purple letters from the Ministry, indicating something tragic had occurred.

In fact, three different muggleborns within the past month had suddenly rushed out of the Hall, sobbing and clutching a letter. One of them had been a Gryffindor in their year, a friend of Lily's. Apparently Mary's mother had been slaughtered in an attack in the village square. Luckily, her father and her siblings had been at home and survived the attack, but dozens of innocent muggle's had been killed. James had held Lily in the common room as she cried, worrying endlessly over her own family.

It was getting harder to ignore and he suspected the upcoming graduation had also sparked the change in his friends. Many of the students had started dreading mealtimes, fearing an owl coming to them in case it bore bad news. 

A son of the Abbott family had gotten a missive from his father the day before the Easter holidays commenced, the owl soaring in with the many others at breakfast. The boy had slammed the letter down angrily and had left the Hall, grim determination in his eyes. Supposedly his older brother had been too outspoken in his beliefs, his job at the Ministry putting him right in the public eye and it had gotten him killed. He'd been found tortured and brutally murdered in his flat closer to his workplace. 

Regulus had clung to him that evening, whispering his fears for graduation - that he was terrified Sirius would be one of the first to be killed and he'd lose his big brother when he'd only just gotten him back. Sirius had whispered in his brother's ear, curling up with him on the sofa and running a hand through his hair, assuring him he'd never leave Regulus.

The Marauders had sat in the common room that night. Regulus tucked between himself and Remus, sleeping on his brothers shoulder. James had been in the armchair and Peter was on the floor by the fire. They'd all muttered about poor Alfred Abbott and his loss, murmuring their own worries.

Peter had admitted he was scared, for himself and his family. Remus had worried about his mum and Sirius had grimaced, he'd forgotten Remus was the only one of them with an actual muggle relative. He'd whispered his fears that she wouldn't even be able to defend herself. James had set his jaw firmly, determinedly staring at the wall as he spoke of his parents old age. How he was scared but couldn't let himself worry or he'd go spare. 

When it was Sirius' turn, they'd all looked at him and all he'd had to do was tighten his arm around Regulus, keeping his lips firmly shut. They got the message.

He loved his family and his friends, he really did. The Marauders were everything to him but there was a difference with Regulus. He was his baby brother, a tiny, scrunched up infant that had grown into an anxious little boy and was now a strong young man with a heavy burden on his shoulders. Sirius despaired every night over what could happen to him, something that terrified him more than anything.

It was good though, that night they'd all talked about how they would be fighting no matter what. Sirius had even cautiously mentioned his inability to join the Order which had prompted James to look at him with the utmost betrayal. He'd stayed quiet, refraining from shouting until Remus had taken Regulus up to bed, tucking him into his brother's bed before coming back down to mediate.

James had demanded to know why, angrily staring him down.

"I can't James. I just _can't."_ He'd said, "I don't think it's the only way to fight, you know? I'm still joining the Auror academy and I'll be right there if a Death Eater attack happens, but I'm not joining Dumbledore's Order. I know your dad is a part of it and if you want to be too, I won't stop you. But it's not for me."

Remus had frowned, "Why though?"

Breaking it to Remus had been the hardest. He practically worshipped Dumbledore for allowing him entry to Hogwarts. James too looked up to him greatly, having been told stories of him from a young age and even Peter had looked upset. All children of wizarding ancestry knew of Dumbledore and looked at him like he was their day's Merlin. Well, unless they were raised Dark.

"I don't trust Dumbledore." He made sure to keep his tone even and firm, he couldn't have them interrupting before he was finished. "Before you guys say anything, do you remember the Daily Prophet article when we came back to school? The stuff about-"

"Riddle, right? That's apparently Voldemort's real name or something. Yeah?" James frowned, scratching his head. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Dumbledore knew." He said. "He knew all of that already. He didn't just suspect, he _knew._ Voldemort is Tom Riddle, yet he didn't tell anyone."

Remus frowned, "That can't be true. He wouldn't have kept something like that to himself. You saw how many purebloods turned their backs on him!"

Sirius nodded solemnly, "Exactly. Many families refused to serve a half-blood, especially one that had been masquerading as a pureblood. Honestly, I think if this information had come to light sooner, Voldemort wouldn't be where he is now. There's no way even _Bellatrix_ would have joined him if she knew he was a half-blood _before_ she'd joined."

James hissed, sucking air through his teeth, "Really?"

"Mate. It's alright for you, you're a blood-traitor. I know exactly the kinds of people that suddenly didn't like him just because his true parentage came to light." He scoffed, "They're just as bloody bad as him but refuse to bow to someone they deem as lesser than themselves. Trust me, if this had come out earlier, he wouldn't have gathered anywhere near the amount of support he has. It's the fact that he's so big now that has people still following him, it's out of fear."

Peter gaped slightly, "B-But-" He spluttered, "Why would the Headmaster keep something like that to himself?"

"Because information is valuable and Dumbledore doesn't trust other people. Not really, anyway. He's smart and he thinks that in this life, the only person you can trust is yourself." He spat, remembering the amount of times Walburga told him that. "He's just as paranoid as Voldemort. You heard what your dad said about the Order. They work as a response team. Isn't that the Auror's jobs anyway? What exactly are the Order doing to help that the Ministry isn't?"

"Isn't the Ministry corrupt?" Remus questioned carefully, "I mean, isn't that what people are scared of? That's why Dumbledore created the Order, right? As a secure force to fight back?" He looked at James questioningly.

The only reason they actually knew about the Order was because of overheard conversations. They'd managed to get a little bit more from Fleamont, he'd cautiously admitted that Dumbledore had his own resistance and that they often responded alongside the Aurors. He hadn't gone into much detail, but James had been eager to join ever since. Especially since Dumbledore had approached them both all those months ago, they'd both spoken about joining in fact but Sirius had changed his mind.

"It is, sort of. But not in the way you're thinking." Sirius started, "The Ministry is pretty much dominated by purebloods, at least, the political departments are. So that means nothing's really changed and if anything, with the Malfoys and the Blacks both against Voldemort, the majority of the Wizengamot is now _against_ him. But for some of the other departments, Voldemort has some Death Eaters working there. There's talk that there's even a Death Eater working in the Department of Mysteries."

Peter gasped, "But, that's the Unspeakables department, right?"

It was. Grandfather had mentioned that there was a possibility of this and they'd been proven right when the Hall of Prophecies had been broken into. It wasn't clear if anything was stolen, but Grandfather had been at the Ministry and from the way they were covering it up, he'd said it was obviously an inside job. The Ministry would never admit to such a thing unless they had to, so they'd hushed it all up very quickly. Grandfather only knew because he was Lord Black and nobody dared to try and hide something from him, not when he was right there.

"Yes." Sirius affirmed grimly, "Which means, no matter what, Voldemort will be able to get his feelers out everywhere."

"So then..." James frowned thoughtfully. "Isn't it better to join the Order? Dumbledore wouldn't let people betray him, you said so yourself."

"Dumbledore is also very much like Voldemort." He ignored the shocked exclamations and continued, "Think about it! He sits up in his office most of the time which is all well and good for us, Voldemort wouldn't dare attack here. But what about during the holidays? Dumbledore never bothers to use his influence in the Ministry, nor does he outright fight Voldemort. It's always him turning up right at the end and Voldemort usually retreats."

"But that's a good thing! He shows up, Voldemort runs away like a scared little boy!" James cried.

"Dumbledore is powerful. He's the only person Voldemort refuses to properly engage in battle. It's why Hogwarts is so safe, Dumbledore _could_ beat him if he bothered to try. But he never does! Whenever they're face to face he just deflects! Voldemort isn't going to fall to a bloody _Stupefy!_ He's too strong!" Sirius jumped to his feet, "I'm sick of it! They're talking about giving Aurors permission to use Unforgiveables and I say let them! You've seen the attacks! Voldemort's ripping innocent people apart, letting his little Death Eaters do what they want and we're expected to just stun them?"

Remus spluttered, "You're talking about murder?"

Sirius glared at him, "Are you telling me that the Death Eaters don't deserve it? I'm not saying murder is okay, I'm talking about _justice!_ They bloody well deserve it! I've listened to those scum for years! Bella used to talk about all the muggles that would die by her wand at dinner! I know what they're like!" He roared. He spared a moment to be thankful for the silencing spell they'd thrown up. It wouldn't do to be overheard.

"But- but Sirius surely-" James started but Sirius cut him off.

"No. I'm telling you James, once you see what they're like you'll agree. Give it a couple months out there, seeing the aftermath of battles for yourself. You'll understand."

"You act like you've seen it too." Peter said quietly. His tone was vaguely accusing and Sirius whirled around to glare at him.

"Because I bloody well have! You think I don't know the kinds of things they're doing? The sort of spells they use? I've heard them - I've heard Reggie tell me too. He was dragged to Death Eater meetings by Bellatrix and Mother used to encourage it!" He hissed, "You don't know the kinds of things they do. They bring innocent muggles in to play with like they're animals! They rip them apart and put them back together just to savage them all over again! It's sick!"

Remus mouthed silently before shaking his head, "But murder... would you even be able to-"

"Let me ask you this." Sirius said. He looked at them all before focusing on James, "If you were stood by and Lily was at the hands of a Death Eater, if she were crying and begging for you to take him out, would you just stand there? Or would you do something?"

"I- I could easily just stun-"

"No! You've just stood there and watched her writhe under the Cruciatus, screaming in unspeakable agony. Would you hesitate to kill them?"

James glared at him, "Why the _fuck_ are you even-"

"Remus! You say Reggie is your best friend, yeah?" He turned to Remus, tears in his eyes. "Could you stand back and watch that happen? Or would you be so angry, so _overwhelmed_ with rage and a desire to see the fucker suffer-" He choked, "Because I wouldn't. I wouldn't bother with stunning. Do you know why?"

"Wh-" Peter trembled, "Why?"

"Because stunning isn't permanent. Stunning downs them for a matter of time and unless you manage to get them locked up, they'll just get back up and get right back to torturing and killing." He hissed, "The Ministry isn't doing enough as it is. They don't have the resources! You stun one and by the time you process them, suddenly there's three more attacks and the DMLE are running off to try and protect the population. I've seen Death Eaters go free, bloody hell, Bellatrix and Rodolphus were almost locked away but they weren't. Do you know what they did mere days after that?" He barely paused.

"They went and lead the raid on the Orpingtons." 

Remus gagged. The Orpington raid had been _awful._ They were a minor pureblood family that was well known for their large numbers, they had many branches all over the continent but the main line resided somewhere in Cornwall by the coast. Their home had been reduced to rubble, the bodies of the victims had been brutalised in awful ways. Some of Greyback's lot had been there and the savaged faces of the victims had apparently made the Ministry workers called to the scene vomit. There had been children too, ripped apart and had disgusting, depraved things done to them while their parents were forced to watch.

"Do you get it?" He whispered, "Do you see? We can stand here and cling on to our morals, determined to take the high ground but I know-" Sirius swallowed thickly, "If I ever come face-to-face with a Death Eater, I won't hold back. Especially not someone like Bellatrix or the Carrow twins. They revel in the pain they bring. Killing them is just saving another innocent person from meeting the end of their wand."

James sniffled slightly, "Did- do you have to be so bloody-"

"Yes! Yes I do James, because we all know what's out there. We can twiddle our thumbs and act like we're graduating for bigger and better things, but the reality is we're stepping straight out of Hogwarts and walking into a warzone. This whole country is at risk! Nowhere is safe! I've seen you look at the Prophet and cling onto Lily's hand. You know exactly what the risk is for someone like her!" He dropped back onto the sofa, taking in their stricken expressions. "I wish you could all remain innocent of this. But there's a _reason_ we're all spending so much time in the Room working on our duelling. We can't act like it's not a mess of blood and gore out there."

"But it's not all bad." James insisted, "We can fight - we will! But do we have to-" He swallowed, "I don't know if I could live with myself knowing I'd killed someone. It's just not right."

Remus straightened slightly, "I think I could." Sirius turned to him slightly wide-eyed and James gaped at him. Peter squeaked and Remus shrugged, "Sirius has a point. We're preparing for a reason. We can act like it's just studying for our Defence NEWT, but it's.. we know what we're doing. But we've never actually seen it. I know what happened to the Orpingtons, I have nightmares of Greyback and I know what that- that- _monster_ is capable of. If I could save just one person from being turned... from being attacked like I was.." He trailed off. 

James looked at them both, "But.. you'd kill him?"

"In a heartbeat." Remus immediately answered. "I don't even think I'd hesitate. You- James you just don't know what it's like. You've been sheltered your whole life from this. I had my childhood ripped from me when I was four! I know that kind of fear, it ruined my family! My dad blames himself and my mum is secretly terrified of me!" Remus looked down and blinked, eyes stinging where they were welling with tears. "I don't like it. I'm not saying murder is always the answer but maybe- maybe _sometimes._ Sometimes it's the only way. Azkaban is a good back-up, but-"

"But they could always escape." James whispered. "Dad's said Voldemort's too powerful. That- that if he ever actually _wanted_ to, we wouldn't be able to stop him breaking in and just freeing all of his followers. Some of the Ministry workers- that's why-"

"That's why they're petitioning to allow the use of Unforgiveables. It would be carefully monitored and there would have to be proper reasons and probably a fuck ton of paperwork." Sirius nodded, "But that's why. It's to ensure the cockroaches can't just come back and slaughter more people. The death toll is nearing the thousands now James, it'll only get worse."

Peter shifted, "I don't know. I think.." He trailed off uncertainly, looking between Sirius and James.

"I- I don't think I'd be able to. But-" James scrunched his nose, "I guess I understand. If Lily.. I think, maybe." Was all he said and Sirius let the topic fall away.

After that, they'd been too discomfited to relax in front of the fire or have any light-hearted moments. Sirius had gone to bed, slipping in beside Regulus and clinging to him desperately. He heard Remus get closer to the two, likely needing the reassurance of his packmates closeness before he let out an odd rumble, settling himself in his own bed. James was very quiet as he went to bed and Peter was still sniffling every so often.

Sirius had felt wretched as he laid in bed. He had crossed a line, he knew, had been borderline _cruel_ and had been too rough in his wording, but he couldn't bring himself to drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness. This was a _war_ they were walking into. Better that they lose a part of their innocence now and prepare themselves for what's to come than be surprised on the battlefield and get injured. Or _worse._

The next day had been awkward. Most of the students in their year had decided to stay for the holidays to use those few weeks to study as much as they could. Many of those with muggle relatives seemed torn, wanting to be with their families but not wanting to bring any extra attention to them. He knew Evans had decided to stay, with Alice and Marlene both deciding they'd stay to keep her company, though Mary had gone home to be with what remained of her family. James had still been subdued, worriedly saying goodbye to Lily and demanding she keep in touch. She'd raised a brow at his tone but had glanced at the odd faces of the Marauders and had quietly agreed, going to sit with her friends at breakfast. 

Remus had been oddly anxious too, fussing over Regulus much more than usual and glaring at anyone who even dared to come near them. He'd even growled at Lily when she'd come to say goodbye, wrapping an arm around Regulus and they'd all watched him stare at her warily until she left. Luckily, she hadn't noticed, but James had been very upset. Remus had shrugged it off, insisting he was fine and just on-edge. 

Regulus had demanded to know what had happened, glaring at them fiercely until Sirius had reluctantly recounted the previous evenings events.

"Idiots." Regulus had mumbled, chewing his toast. "Absolute _idiots."_

He'd dragged them onto the train, warded the compartment and had given them all a tongue-lashing. He'd insisted that scaring your friends wasn't the best way to go and it was everyone's own choice and that they could do as they pleased _(Sirius)._ He'd also stated that this applied to those that decided they _would_ be more lethal and looking down on that wasn't the way to go _(James)._ Then he'd said that it was time to actually choose your own path anyway and that Hogwarts wouldn't protect them forever and neither would their friends _(Peter)._ Regulus had finished this by saying he could look after himself and although he appreciated the sentiment, he didn't need to be coddled _(Remus)._

They'd all mumbled their apologies and had tried to get back to normal. It'd taken a while, but they'd managed. James had still been staring out the window too often, sometimes looking between Remus and Sirius with a questioning look before he'd stare back out the window. Peter was fiddling with his hands, staring into space and often flinching at the noises outside the compartment. Regulus and Remus had been the _most_ normal, quietly talking and smiling at each other, something that had prickled Sirius.

It was that little interaction that had truly set him off. He'd spent pretty much the whole train ride staring at the two, trying to work out if this was normal.

He couldn't remember ever seeing them be _this_ close, but then, they were rather close anyway, weren't they? Had he truly just not noticed how close the two were?

Sirius had been thrown. He'd stared at them both, desperately trying to work it out. He'd once joked that Regulus was daydreaming about Remus, but he hadn't meant it as anything real. It'd been like when he and James would joke about falling madly in love and their plans to elope one day, for theirs's was a passionate affair. Just, _jokes._ So why did Regulus seem like he really _was_ getting lost in Remus' eyes? And why was Remus smiling at Regulus like he didn't know how to stop? He was looking at Regulus like the younger boy's mere presence lit up his world.

Which Sirius could understand! Remus wasn't special. Regulus was the most important person in his world and he was glad someone else seemed to have uncovered the brilliance of Regulus. He was glad that, should something happen to him, someone would clearly be there for Regulus. Truly, Sirius was glad.

But then why did he feel slightly sick as he watched them get a little closer, giggling softly with pink flushes on their cheeks?

"I'll see you eventually, yeah?" Remus asked softly, staring down at Regulus with a tender look in his eyes. Sirius barely refrained from snarling.

Regulus flushed slightly, blinking dazedly before nodding, "Yes, of course. I'll try and- maybe I can come and visit you? You'll be with James at some point, yeah?"

"Oh! Yes!" Remus grinned, "Maybe you can come over at some point. Sirius too, obviously." Yes, _obviously._ Sirius wanted to kick Remus in the shin just to get him to stop staring at his little brother like that. How the bloody hell had he not noticed this already? 

The younger boy bit his lip, "Yeah. Um. Yes. I'll try. You'll stay safe while you're at your parents house, yeah? I- I don't want you doing anything stupid!"

"Me?" Remus gasped, hand going to his chest offendedly. "I'd never! Truly, think you might be getting me and James confused."

"Oi! None of that. Stop being so sappy and hurry up, Mum's glaring at me." And she was. Euphemia was staring at the boys, shifting impatiently but far too polite to cause a scene in public. Her eyes were threatening though as she stared at James who fidgeted. "Please." He whimpered, staring back at them with wide eyes.

Sirius watched as Remus blushed and hugged Regulus who squeaked adorably, wrapping his arms around the taller boy and hiding his bright red face. He glared at the two and fought himself not to break them up. Seriously, how had he not noticed this?

"C'mon!" James whined, grabbing Remus and pulling him away. Peter had already gone with his parents, both had been antsy and eager to get their son home. Remus would be staying with James for most of the holidays, only going back for the full-moon as his parents weren't comfortable with letting him spend it at the Potters house. James had wanted Regulus and Sirius to stay with him for the holidays but they'd said they had to spend at least the beginning with Grandfather.

They had to work something out for the Horcruxes after all, and Regulus was too excited to see if his idea would work. He hadn't actually gone into detail about the magics involved, all he knew was it linked with Runes somehow and he'd been inspired by the map. To be fair, even if Regulus _had_ sat and explained the whole thing in detail, he still wouldn't have understood it. Regulus was probably just saving his breath.

Sirius had huffed as he grasped onto Regulus, dragging them through the crowd to where he knew Grandfather would be. Regulus had frowned slightly but let himself be dragged, hands waving as he mumbled about Venomous Tentacula. Probably last minute studying, truly, the little swot never took a break.

"Hello boys." Grandfather greeted. To most, his tone was aloof but they knew better. The softening around his eyes and the relaxed stance showed his pleasure at seeing his grandsons. "I trust you both are well?"

"Very!" Regulus chirped. Sirius wanted to glare at him but stopped. Why was he so cheerful all of a sudden?

"Oh?" Grandfather asked amusedly, gesturing for them to grasp onto the portkey he presented. They all firmly took hold of the chain to a pocket watch that Grandfather held out, Sirius wrapped an arm around Regulus to steady him. They'd never used anything like an old boot, a proper pureblood would never be seen gripping to muggle trash. That was only for those that didn't know how to make an illegal portkey or bribe the Ministry into giving them fancier items to use.

They would have apparated, but with Grandfather's age apparting himself, two teenages boys and their trunks would tire him and he clearly wanted to catch up with them.

Once they landed, Sirius paused to let the discomfort settle. Regulus shifted beside him, shaking off the arm and huffing. "I hate portkeys. But yes, I'm very well. I'm excited to test my theory, if it works, we'll be-"

"Peace, Regulus." Grandfather murmured, "You have these next couple weeks to relax. No need to rush. Take a moment to breathe. Sirius, you look off colour, are you well?"

Sirius nodded carefully, "Yes Grandfather. Though, I have to ask, did you manage to speak to the Goblins?"

"Of course neither of you will-" Grandfather shook his head, cutting off his grumblings. "To my office, we'll take a seat and go over everything."

Regulus sent a look at Sirius, tugging him along. Sirius glared down at the hand on his sleeve. His mind couldn't settle. He kept seeing the way Remus would softly brush back Regulus' hair and how pleased Regulus looked when he did it. He kept remembering the softness in their gazes as they spoke quietly, Regulus sometimes shoving him gently and Remus throwing his head back laughing. Sirius frowned. Had he truly been so blind?

He'd noticed their friendship. Sirius hadn't been lying when he'd been ridiculously pleased. He _loved_ seeing his brother so happy and Remus was one of the best friend's he had! Anybody would be lucky to have Remus Lupin in their life. But had he really missed the soft glances, the gentle caresses, the murmured words and the blushes? Had he missed the blatant _signs?_

He'd teased them of course. Even only recently he'd teased them both about their friendship, finding it funny but terribly endearing. They really were a good match and he'd seen the positive ways they both influenced each other.

Remus was more sure of himself, as was Regulus. They both seemed to enjoy each other's company and Sirius honestly thought they'd be much like he and James were, two boys as close as brothers. But.. apparently Sirius was wrong.

They were clearly much closer than that. It was as if they had crushes on each other, but that couldn't be. It just _couldn't._

"I'm afraid the Goblins are not overly eager to work with us on this." Grandfather began, "Unsurprising, really. They would never willingly do something to damage their reputation. They take pride in their work and not even for the Blacks will they dishonour their stellar reputation."

Regulus sighed, "I'll admit, I'm not surprised either."

"Disappointing though." Sirius added. For now he'd let the ugly topic go and ignore the nauseous feeling it brought on. "That basically only leaves us with committing grand larceny."

"It could be an option." Grandfather stated. They both startled, sharing an incredulous look before turning to their paterfamilias. 

"You've gone senile." Sirius snorted, "I know I joked about it but-"

"It is a viable option." He acknowledged, "It is one I would prefer not to have to choose, but if it is the only way.."

"Couldn't we use Narcissa?" Regulus asked desperately, "I'm sure she could somehow gain access to Bella's vault."

Grandfather shook his head, "Even if she did, we would be putting her in grave danger. Narcissa is a strong witch but she would not be ready for such a task. I would loathe to put her in such a position either. She is incredibly loyal to family first and for her, she will always see Bellatrix as her sister. She is not happy with me for banishing her, but she is logical enough to understand why."

"Plus," Regulus slumped, "If we did somehow manage to use her to gain access, chances are she wouldn't even be able to grab the thing. Bella's probably layered the whole room in curses. And a gift from her Lord? The cup's likely to come to life and kill you just for touching it." He admitted.

Sirius grimaced, "Is there any other way? Is it possible we could trick Bellatrix - or even force her - into handing it over?"

Grandfather raised a hand. "The best I can get is having a plausible reason to be in Bellatrix's vault. Really and truly, the Goblins do not care if we steal from Bellatrix, we're a bigger family and we bring in much more than she ever will. The only problem is, they can not be seen to show any favour towards either side, else their vow of neutrality is void. I had hoped they would hand over the cup to me, but that is unlikely."

Sirius nodded slowly, "So if we can find a good reason to get into the vault..?"

"They'll look the other way as we leave." Regulus finished, "Really?"

"Like I said, they don't really care as long as it doesn't reflect badly on them. There's Death Eaters with warrants out for their arrest and yet they're able to cash in their money. Gringotts does not care about wizarding laws or affairs. They just don't want their reputation damaged, hence, the need for plausible deniability." He waved a hand, "If we have a good reason to get into the Lestrange vault, we can grab the cup and be on our merry way."

"They really wouldn't.. sound some alarm? They'd know the minute we took the item out of the vaults." Sirius asked warily.

"As long as the Blacks continue to bring in the amount we do, they'll happily look the other way. Do not be mistaken, very few families could do this. Do not worry that Gringotts will suddenly start renting out the contents of everyone's vaults."

"But if Bellatrix were a lower class muggleborn?" Sirius asked.

Regulus snorted, "They'd find some way to give us the contents, no questions asked. They just won't risk a Lestrange noticing and causing a ruckus. Grandfather, do we even have a good reason to get into the vault?"

"Actually," Grandfather smiled slightly, "We do. Bellatrix is in possession of a family heirloom, one which she has refused my demands to give back."

"Is she?" Sirius gasped. "But that's-" He paused, "Oh."

Regulus frowned slightly, "What do you mean? What is it?" He looked between them rapidly, hating being left out of the loop. Sirius took a moment to revel in it, it was so rare that Regulus was the one not in the know. Sirius had been clueless at Malfoy Manor, he was okay at Runes and he'd likely pass his NEWT, but Regulus had spoken to quickly he just couldn't grasp it.

"There is no heirloom." Grandfather smirked, "However, I just so happen to have misplaced Elladora Black's prized dagger."

"The cursed dagger that she used to use on her elves?" Regulus demanded. Sirius winced, he remembered when Grandfather had first mentioned Aunt Elladora and her penchant for carving derogatory words onto her house-elves backs. She'd been the one to start the tradition of beheading the elves and mounting their heads on the wall. Regulus had once gotten in trouble for having a burst of accidental magic that burned her portrait so badly it had badly damaged the frame and it had needed to be carefully restored. Elladora had been screaming at little Regulus from within the portrait who only glared at her fiercely. He'd been punished severely, but had told Sirius he didn't regret it. Regulus _hated_ the witch.

"Ah, yes." Grandfather said slowly, "It is plausible for many reasons. One, Bellatrix was always fond of tales of Elladora." He paused when Regulus snorted derisively, "Two, she was always extra fond of the cursed dagger she had crafted. It's actually in her collection."

Sirius frowned, "But then, so she _does_ have it?"

"Oh yes, but it's been safely returned to me. However, I truly _had_ believed she'd somehow managed to keep it. It was brought back to the place Elladora first enchanted it, likely so it could not be stolen." Grandfather waved a hand. "It appeared at her old property near the border of Wales. I only found it when an elf I had checking out the property reported it."

"Why was an elf out there?" Regulus asked heatedly, "At that _foul_ place?"

"Ah. I have had the elves checking all of the Black residences to find a suitable home for you both. I know you wish to get your own place, but I truly do believe a Black property is safest."

"I'd never live there! That foul old-"

Grandfather raised a hand, looking oddly abashed. "I'll admit, it was an oversight on my part. Elladora's property hasn't been used in some time and I had honestly forgotten it's existence. Besides, it works out for us. I have left the dagger there and a simple meeting with the Goblins will give us an opportunity to enter Bellatrix's vault to search for the dagger. We will be watched, and it's possible Bellatrix may even be informed, but it is our only option."

"Unless we want to break into Gringotts and attempt a daring escape." Sirius snorted. "This actually might work. I don't know how we'll pull it off, but I'm sure we can do it."

"Of course we can!" Regulus sniffed. "Might I be excused? I have a letter to write-"

"To Remus?" Sirius demanded.

Regulus blinked, turning to him. "Yes. I have a Herbology essay I forgot to ask him about. He's always been rather good at the subject. Besides, I'd like to know he settled in okay. He's been strange since yesterday." He said pointedly.

Sirius cringed slightly, "Okay, fair."

"You may go. I'd like you to show me your findings, Regulus. But we have time, do not rush." Grandfather smiled slightly and Regulus nodded. They both jumped to their feet and bowed respectfully before turning to leave. "Sirius, could you wait a moment?"

Sirius blinked and smiled at Regulus as the boy frowned, "Go, Reggie. We'll chat later." He smiled, dropping it as Regulus cautiously left the room. He turned to Grandfather and awkwardly stood there as the man surveyed him. "Um, my Lord?"

"Remus?" Grandfather queried, a brow raised. His hands steepled on the desk before him as he observed his grandson. Sirius refrained from fidgeting at the intense look, "Is that not the name of your friend?"

Sirius cleared his throat, nodding jerkily. "Yes, yes that's him. Remus Lupin."

"Ah yes." He hummed, "The werewolf."

Sirius startled so hard he stubbed his toe on the chair in front of him, "What?"

"Peace, Sirius. I know of the boys affliction. You can not _possibly_ believe I did not research the children my grandsons were friends with? I have my sources. I looked into all of your little friends, the ones of import anyway. Sadly I never had to look into anyone for Regulus' sake, though I suppose that's changed." He kept a brow quirked as he looked at Sirius.

"You stalked my friends?" Sirius muttered. He wasn't upset, honestly. That was actually a very sweet gesture, though maybe that was only by Black family standards. To worry about the kinds of people he was friends with showed he cared, it was quite odd but Sirius felt pleased. "Of course you did."

"Of course. It's always a possibility that a child will befriend a wealthy scion of a House, particularly the Heir, to try and line their own pockets." He said pointedly, "I had to be sure, you understand. Now, why do you not approve of this Lupin boy? I thought you were quite good friends."

"We are! I like Remus!" He insisted, "It's just- a new development has taken place. I was just caught off guard."

Grandfather's lips curled and he looked much more amused, "Ah. I take it Regulus is.. _fond_ of Lupin?" He stressed the word fond and Sirius scowled. "Oh don't look at me like that. I have my ways. You didn't think I wouldn't ensure Regulus was well taken care of? I'd heard of his growing friendship with Lupin since before the holidays and recently he's befriended a Dorcas Meadowes and a Bartemius Crouch Junior." He listed the names off easily.

Sirius shifted, "Okay. Won't bother asking how you know that- wait, did you say Crouch's boy?"

"Yes. Unfortunately. But Regulus sent me a missive informing me of the boy's wish to break free of his father. He's quite talented in Charms and I've ensured he will have a bright future. A clever but damaged young boy is a dangerous foe, one we could do without."

Sirius gaped, "You mean.. he wanted to join _Voldemort?"_ The Crouch's were generally neutral, but Bartemius Crouch was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and was extreme in his devotion to the law. For his son to hate him so much he'd join a Dark Lord...

"Yes, but he is uncertain. He does not truly believe the pureblood ideals, he's too bright for that. I believe he only wished to join to spite his father. Understandable. I've had the misfortune of interacting with Bartemius one too many times in the Ministry. He's far too driven." And that's saying something coming from Lord Black himself, pinnacle Slytherin and proud of his ambitious nature. "The Crouch boy is eager to graduate. He'll be off to France within days of leaving Hogwarts, mark my words."

"He and Regulus are friends?" Sirius asked.

"They are not terribly close, but they're friendly enough. I believe when he is not with you and your friends he's usually with Miss Meadowes but sometimes Bartemius will join them."

Sirius nodded carefully. He'd seen Regulus and Dorcas a couple times and now that he thought about it without his blinders on, Remus had frowned heavily when he'd first seen them together. He'd teased him at the time, both him and James laughing that Regulus had a new best friend and Remus had gotten oddly angry with them. Remus had lashed out and said he didn't care about that and Sirius had relented, conceding that Remus was too logical to get jealous and James had piped up that Regulus adored Remus.

He'd laughed it off, not thinking much of the angry glare Remus had sent James but...

Did James _know?_ Did everyone know something he clearly did not?

But what was there to be known? _Nothing would happen._

"Sirius?"

He snapped back to attention. "Yes, sorry Grandfather."

"You do not seem happy. You have been out of sorts since the platform." He accused, eyes narrowed. "This is about that Lupin boy. Are you perhaps jealous that he and Regulus are clearly moving ever closer?"

"What? Why does everyone- they aren't!" He insisted, "I'd know. And- Remus wouldn't do that to me."

Grandfather tilted his head, "Oh, I had not realised that you and Lupin..." He trailed off questioningly.

Sirius spluttered, "What? No! Of course not! Merlin, with _Moony?_ No, thank you. That'd be like dating Regulus! Or James!"

Grandfather leaned back in his chair, looking unimpressed. "Then the issue is Regulus. You do not want your brother to be involved with your friend?"

"No! That's not it either! I don't-" He ran a hand through his hair, "I don't know what it is! I only just realised it today." Grandfather looked even more unimpressed and Sirius threw his hands up. "Bloody hell. Did everyone know about this but me?"

"I've had many letters from both of you over the past few months. Lupin is quite a heavy feature in Regulus' letters. I doubt even he has realised just how taken he is with the boy." Grandfather grumbled.

"But-" Sirius spluttered, "They can't!"

"Oh?" The older man raised a patronising eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"They just-" He waved a hand, "They're not allowed! Well, no. Remus can do what he wants. But- but Reggie?" He tugged his hair in frustration, "He's a baby!"

Grandfather sighed. He looked at Sirius with a much more serious look than he'd expected. "I think you'll find that Regulus is almost an adult."

"What does that- that's not the _point!_ Reggie is a baby! He's- he can't be thinking about-" He cut himself off. It had been a good thing that he'd never even heard whispers of Regulus and anyone else. Not once had Regulus gone on a date or seemed to have a crush on anyone. Besides the few times someone asked him out, always leading to a mightily confused rejection from Regulus, nobody had even breathed near Regulus with romantic intentions.

Sirius would have known, he made sure to carefully watch out for Regulus during Hogsmeade weekends. He wasn't quite sure what he would do if he'd ever seen him on a date. Probably rub his date's face in the ground or hex them senseless. 

"He's- he's too little!" He insisted, "He's not ready."

Grandfather gave him a stern look. "Sirius. I have always admired your devotion to your brother. It is always important that we look out for our family and Regulus was always much more sensitive. I feared for him. But I knew that with you by his side he would be okay. Now, Regulus is no longer a tiny toddler that clings to his big brother and cries if someone so much as raises their voice. He's strong-willed and has proven multiple times that he is not quite a child. Not anymore."

Sirius shook his head, "It's one thing to go and steal a Horcrux, but dating is too far! It's completely different! Physical injuries can heal, Regulus is still struggling with all of Walburga's nasty _teachings!_ If he gets his heart broken or- or-"

"You can not protect him forever." Grandfather reminded, much gentler than before. "I know it goes against your very basic instincts, but you have to let go of this image you have that Regulus is a little baby that still needs protecting. You will only drive him further away from you if you continue to do such things. You must recognise that Regulus is his own person."

"I- I know that! I do! I saw Reg at Malfoy Manor, he was brilliant! But- but he could have died." He choked, slumping down in his seat. "It- the spell was so close, Grandfather. He could have died and he was right in front of me! If I can't even protect him when he's a foot away from me, then what? What am I supposed to do when I graduate? Or when _he_ graduates? What if Voldemort is still running around five years from now?"

Grandfather stood, carefully approaching him and sitting in the seat beside him. He laid a hand on Sirius' shoulder and looked at him mournfully. "I understand. I truly do. I know exactly what it's like to face your biggest fear and be stuck thinking about what you could have or should have done." He said sadly, gaze flickering to the picture of Melania, Regulus and Sirius.

Sirius sniffled slightly, "How do you-" He coughed, "I don't know what to do, Grandfather. It plagues my nightmares. I see him falling limp in my arms or screaming at me to help him and I can't do anything! I won't- I won't be able to do anything, to ensure he's safe, until Voldemort's dead."

"I'm going to say this as kindly as I can." Grandfather turned back to him, "You can never assure his safety. Not truly. I've learned that first hand. For years I did everything I could for my darling Melania, and she was still taken from me. I asked myself daily why I didn't notice, why I didn't somehow stop it." He shook his head, "But you can't. You simply can't have that mindset, it isn't healthy, Sirius. It only serves to drive you closer to breaking down completely."

"If I can do anything-"

"I am not saying to abandon your brother. I am simply saying that you mustn't have unrealistic expectations. For yourself or for him. Do not think I don't know that you blame him for his injuries. He did what he felt was right and you must let that go. You must also let this ridiculous idea that you can protect him from all the evils in the world go. It just isn't realistic. Not unless you plan to kidnap him and hide him away for the rest of your life."

Sirius huffed, pouting slightly. "Could do that. He'd be safe."

"But he wouldn't be happy." He chided gently, "I know you love him. Anyone who's ever seen the two of you in the same room knows that."

"I just don't want to see him hurt. Ever since-" He swallowed the lump in his throat, eyes burning as he remembered just how close he came to losing Regulus.

"It's okay to be upset, Sirius. It's okay to cry and breakdown, as long as you get back up again, stronger than before. Which you always will and so will he. You're both strong and resilient boys. You're _Blacks._ But you must allow him the freedom to make mistakes and yes, he may get his heart broken-" He held a hand up when Sirius went to interrupt him, "He may. It is always a possibility. However, he will always stand tall and though the relationship may not work out, it may serve to make him a better person. Relationships are odd like that." He said amusedly. "They change you in ways you may not realise."

"Regulus doesn't need to change! He's perfect the way he is. Moony wouldn't-" He swallowed again. "I'm not saying Remus will or won't break his heart. I just.."

"You worry about him too much. You worry endlessly for him and however irrational it may be, you wish to do everything you can to reduce his chances of pain. Whether physical or emotional." Grandfather surmised, "As I said, it is admirable, it truly is. But it is not altogether healthy."

"I know. I drive myself mad sometimes but I just hate the idea of something happening to him. With the cave I can try and blame him, I can admit to myself that I had no way of knowing and so I couldn't have protected him. But at the Malfoy's... he was right there!"

"Melania was right beside me in our bed when she passed." Grandfather revealed and Sirius felt his insides curl with hurt. The memory of the night before came to him, he couldn't imagine what would have happened had he opened his eyes and found Regulus dead beside him. "Died in the one place she should have been utterly safe. And yet, she was taken from me anyway. For death spares no one, and that doesn't make it easier, but it is a reality that you must face eventually."

Sirius shook his head fiercely, "I won't- I can't lose-"

"No, no. I do not mean to distress you." He soothed, hand tightening on Sirius' shoulder and Sirius desperately tried to calm his breathing. "But you must come to terms with the fact that you can never guarantee his safety. You can certainly do all you can, but you will drive yourself insane trying to protect him from every little thing."

"I just want him safe and happy. Is that too much to ask?" Sirius wept, "She- that _bitch-_ for years she tortured us both. I remember holding him one night and promising myself that I'd do everything I could. I'd do anything to make sure he was happy! And I know-" He bemoaned, "I know Remus is good, he's bloody brilliant and he'd be the best boyfriend Reg could ask for, but I hate it! What if- What if he doesn't need me anymore?"

"He will always need you, my boy. Regulus loves you dearly. He will never not need his big brother. But just as you need both Regulus and your other friends, Regulus is allowed to need others too. He's been solely yours for years, even when you were not on good terms. He is allowed these freedoms." He affirmed.

Sirius sniffled, "I've only just gotten him back and Moony's stealing him from me." He pouted.

"Regulus loves you as much as you love him. It would take the combined forces of the world to truly pull you two apart, especially now." He smiled suddenly, "From what I've heard, that boy would worship Regulus. Especially if he is the boy's mate, as I suspect he is. So you do not need to fear, he wouldn't get in the way of you two."

Sirius startled, "Oh Merlin I hadn't even thought of that." But surely Sirius would have realised? A werewolf meeting their mate was supposed to be rare and utterly beautiful, how would Remus have been able to hide that?

"Do you feel better?" Grandfather sounded slightly awkward and Sirius felt his love for the man swell. He'd just sat here and given him some of the most sound advice of his life, and yet he was awkward about asking if he was okay now. If he'd done well. It was probably due to the years of no contact that hung between them. Grandfather was still stiff and odd in his interactions and he felt it amusing but also desperately sad.

"Yeah." He admitted, "I do. I think I should probably talk to Reg. Clear the air. See if he actually does like Remus." He added, standing just after Grandfather did. "Then I'll work on putting the fear of Merlin into Remus. He'll be getting the big brother talk of his life." He grinned viciously.

Grandfather laughed heartily, sending an equally dark smirk at him and Sirius knew that if they ever did get together, Remus would have Lord Black to deal with.

"Oh I don't doubt it, my boy. I don't doubt it for a second."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo... please tell me your thoughts on this one. I hope I explained it properly...
> 
> Sirius is worried that Remus will 'steal' Regulus away and that Sirius won't be able to properly protect him if that happens. He's begun clinging to him more after seeing him in danger at Malfoy Manor and is now extra vigilant in his protection of his baby brother. It's leading to very unhealthy coping mechanisms that WILL be confronted by the Marauders eventually and Sirius will begin to relax, though everyone relapses! (Hint Hint)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! Do you guys like the Marauders? Arcturus? Tell me your thoughts <3


	22. The Roman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus pouts, comes to another startling realisation and has a heart-to-heart with his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is a poke at Remus' name, it's said that Romulus (twin of Remus in mythology) was the founder of Rome, so.. The Roman!

Regulus knew something was wrong with his brother.

He knew Sirius far too well to buy in to his awful excuses and bad attempts at brushing him off. He knew when Sirius was upset or when he was angry, so he knew something was wrong.

Sirius had been quiet throughout the train ride but Regulus had been a little furious with him and had largely ignored him, spending most of the journey chatting with Remus. He had done the least to earn his ire, so he'd happily conversed with the boy.

It wasn't that he didn't understand Sirius' intentions and he honestly couldn't fault him for trying to save them from coming to a horrifying revelation at a bad time, but couldn't he have at least waited until Regulus was there? He'd have made sure Sirius softened the blow, and what a painful blow it was. He'd seen James at breakfast, worriedly looking at Lily and staring down into his plate with a building panic, leg bouncing under the table as he ran his hands through his hair. He'd also seen Peter, awkwardly shifting and trying to make himself seem smaller.

He'd thought maybe they'd had a stupid argument or they planned some prank without telling him, but then he'd noticed Remus.

Remus, who had been growling and sniffing his hair and neck. 

Regulus had quietly asked him if he was okay, specifically if _Moony_ was okay. He'd taken to differentiating between the two to convey what he meant without outright saying it and Remus seemed to come back to himself slightly at the question, nodding and reassuring him that he was fine. Regulus had scrunched his nose at the obvious lie but had let it pass. He was too tired and he never really enjoyed the long train ride on the Hogwarts Express, it always made him restless and he would usually either read or sleep through it. Both were pretty impossible now that he shared a compartment with the rambunctious Marauders.

When Evans had greeted James, Remus had tensed. His muscles had bunched up beneath his skin, coiled and ready to strike like a wolf pouncing on it's foe as he stared her down, arm carefully wrapped around Regulus' waist. He'd had to fight down the rising heat on his cheeks, something that had been happening more and more whenever Remus was around. Remus had also growled very lowly, so lowly that is was more of a deep rumble in his chest that snapped Sirius and James to attention as if they sensed a threat.

Regulus had wondered at that. He couldn't help but think of what that meant for pack members. It made sense that the two would begin to search for a threat that their 'alpha' had indicated. It was also curious that Peter hadn't seemed effected. He knew why he wasn't, he wasn't an Animagus yet and therefore not actually a part of the pack. At least, Regulus didn't _think_ so. But Remus had avidly insisted that he very much was, going bright red up to the tips of his ears.

It didn't matter. Remus had stopped eventually and when Regulus confronted the Marauders, the boy had admitted that his wolf had been incredibly agitated and wanted to ensure Regulus was protected. He'd flushed and been terribly flattered, toes curling as he tried not to squeal slightly but he instantly felt indignation raise within him. He was no helpless damsel in distress, needing freeing from the fierce dragon and Remus was not a knight that had ascended his prison to slay the beast.

Though, he _had_ been inwardly pleased. Only _slightly._ It was important Remus knew, however, that he was very capable of looking after himself. He hadn't gotten his scars easily and the fact that he was still standing showed his perseverance.

He'd once gotten into a bit of a spat with Remus while in the Room of Requirement after a duelling session. They'd somehow gotten onto the subject of scars and the older boy had insisted he was ugly because of his marred body, mentioning something about a girl asking him out but cringing at his scarred arms when he'd pulled his sleeves up. Regulus had spluttered indignantly and ripped open his shirt, demanding to know if he too was ugly in the boys eyes, if he was so unlovable just because he had imperfections littering his body.

(He had also felt a bitter feeling well within him, torn between anger at the girl for hurting Remus and wanting to curl up and hide at the thought of seeing Remus out with someone else. He would think on what that meant later, for it couldn't be anything good.)

Sirius had glared at Remus, just daring him to say something about the marks but had also been stricken at the sight and Regulus had made sure to assure Sirius that there truly was nothing he could have done, _again._ James had looked horrified at the sight and also more angry than he had expected, the boy had looked ready to fight someone. It had been nice, coming from James. Especially as he knew the boy still sometimes felt that bitter jealousy about his and Sirius' relationship. Regulus knew this because he sometimes did too. He hadn't paid much attention to Peter but the boy had begun looking at him differently after that day.

Remus had gone very red, cheeks darkening as he stared at Regulus' exposed torso. He'd blinked rapidly and shakily jerked his head. _"You look perfect, Regulus. Your scars are proof of your strength. Mine are just marks from a beast - a beast that I happen to be."_ He'd said. Regulus had stormed over to him, angrily shaking a finger in his face and demanding him to never speak such idiocy.

_"Don't you dare, Remus John Lupin! You are one of the most handsome boys I've ever seen and you will grow into an even more attractive man! Your scars are just as much a show of your endurance as mine. You prove to me and every other idiotic bigot out there that being a werewolf doesn't change you at your core, some people are monsters and some monsters are people. But you, Remus, are not a monster, nor are you a beast. You're - You're my best friend, and nobody insults my best friend! Not even you!"_

Remus had given him such a heartbreakingly fragile look and he'd ignored his state of undress and thrown his arms around the taller boy. He'd roughly yanked him down to his height, _cuddling the stupid out of him_ , as he'd mumbled into his shirt. Remus had laughed and held Regulus tightly, whispering brokenly how thankful he was that he'd found him. Regulus thought that sweet, he was unbelievably grateful for their friendship too. He'd happily tucked himself into Remus' arms, revelling the heat the boy always gave off due to his lycanthropy.

As it was, Regulus knew something was wrong with Sirius.

He'd known for a while he wasn't as fine as he tried to portray. Regulus was practically a master of that, he'd done it for years so he knew the signs. He also knew his brother and he'd shared a bed with him often enough to know he was having nightmares.

The amount of times he'd woken up in the middle of the night to his brother thrashing in his sleep, mumbling too lowly for him to hear and clutching desperately to the sheets was sadly high. He'd also woken up sometimes with his brother wrapped around him, holding him too tightly for him not to have been awake. He'd usually just try and go back to sleep, snuggling closer and mumbling into Sirius' shirt to assure him that he was okay.

Regulus also heard him croak out his own name far too many times, so he knew what at least some of the nightmares were about. He had to commend him though, Sirius was doing a very good job at pretending to be alright. Not well enough to fool him, but certainly stellar acting anyway. He knew James and Remus had picked up on it and they'd all agreed to let Sirius come to them. It was never a good idea to push Sirius, especially not on such emotional matters.

Sometimes the situation called for it, but when he was this distressed it was always better to let Sirius take the first step. He'd shut down and go into survival mode if provoked, snapping at anyone and everyone, acting overly hostile and cruel. He'd seen it happen. Regulus knew of the story of Snape's provocation of Sirius which had led to Sirius telling Snape how to get beyond the Whomping Willow. He'd been furious with Sirius when they'd finally told him, but he'd understood.

Nobody could provoke Sirius the way Walburga Black could, and paired with Snape's nastiness and his need to protect his friend, he could accept what he'd done. It was a complete overreaction, ridiculously irrational in fact and could very well have led to an awful tragedy, but it was well known by all of them just how impulsive Sirius could be when in the wrong frame of mind.

Therefore, they would all wait.

Regulus had been very put out when Grandfather asked for Sirius to stay behind. He'd huffed and pouted slightly before stopping, Blacks don't pout. And he was no petulant child having a tantrum. He'd began to pout again though when he realised the office was silenced and he couldn't eavesdrop.

He huffed again, stomping his way to his room and pointedly ignoring the fact that he was very much acting like a child. Regulus didn't care, Sirius would probably tell him what it was about anyway, he knew. So he decided to just write his letter; He really wanted to know how Remus was, something about his behaviour had seemed odd and it had sparked a distant memory for him, but he couldn't remember what.

It was frustrating because he knew the answer was glaring him in the face. It happened sometimes, he just had so much information in his head that sometimes he would forget things. That was the reason he often had little 'eureka' moments, as Remus called them. Something would spark his memory or all of the pieces would suddenly fall into place and he'd be struck with realisation.

Oh well. It was a small price to pay.

**||**

_Dear Remus,_

_I trust that you are well, yes? You were acting very odd all morning and I'll admit I'm more worried than I may have seemed. Do you think perhaps Moony was upset because I'm not yet pack? Do you see me as weak? Because I most certainly am not, Lupin!_

_Anyway, please tell me how you're doing. Is James driving you spare already? I don't know how I manage to be around him so often, it's like he's unable to sit still or keep quiet! Though, he was odd today too. I'm going to have to beat Sirius up for scaring you all, Peter practically wet himself!_

_Grandfather is pleasant as always. Which is to say, he's just a notch above apathetic. For Lord Black, that's practically singing with happiness! I know you think it's odd, but trust me, Grandfather is very good to both of us. In fact, he and Sirius are having a nice little private meeting without me as I write this. How sweet. I'm not upset at all, I promise._

_It may sound strange, but I miss you already. Is that odd? For years I was okay being alone, I was happy in fact! I always told myself it was better not to get attached as there were less people to either disappoint or be disappointed by. But now I can't imagine going back to the level of isolation I was at, it sounds horrible. Losing you, Sirius, James and Dorcas wouldn't be worth it. You all mean too much to me._

_I worry for you and Dorcas a lot. Dorcas is a half-blood (her mother is a muggleborn and her father is a muggle) so she's a very big target. Especially as her mother works in the Ministry, I worry about her. As for you, you know exactly why I worry for you! Please, I know you like to joke, but stay safe, Moony. For me._

_Have I ever properly introduced you to Dorcas? I don't think I have. Sirius has met her briefly, I think, but she's brilliant! She's one of my closest friends, though there's a lot I can't tell her. Nor will I, I won't put her in danger. But she's fierce and I already know she'll be the first to join either the Aurors or the Order. She's the fighter type and she's very intelligent. I'm glad she's in my year, I won't be alone next year! Hurrah!_

_Though, I'll miss you all more than anything. Especially you and Siri. Don't tell James, he'll only pout. I know you still get a little upset that Peter and I aren't really clicking, but it's okay. We aren't mean to each other and we certainly aren't hostile, are we? I don't think so. Hm, anyway. We have a mutual understanding that although we aren't ever going to be the best of friends, we are both within the same sphere with common interests in you three._

_That's a complicated way of saying we're part of the same little group. The Marauders, yes? Am I included in that? It's okay if not, just curious. I must achieve my form soon, I desperately want to join you on the full moons. You deserve every little bit of company you can get!_

_I also promise that at some point, Sirius and I will tell you all everything. You deserve to know. You're my best friend and James is Sirius', neither of us like hiding this from you. It truly is Black family business, but there are things we can tell you when the time is right._

_I have a little project going on, remember when I was asking about the map? What I can tell you, even though it isn't a lot, is that it's very important and I hope you'll be patient and let us explain in time. We will. I swear it to you, Remus._

_Anyway, I should get going. I have to compile my notes for Grandfather and although he and Sirius seem to be having a very long talk without me, I don't want to risk Sirius seeing this letter. He's been odd today, more odd than usual. And more odd than is acceptable for what happened last night. Perhaps he feels guilty? I don't know. He reacted weirdly when I said I'd be sending you a letter. (Was he staring at us more than usual on the train or was that just me?)_

_Oh well. Reply soon! I must know how you're faring being stuck with Potter. Is he moping over losing sight of his 'Lily-flower' already?_

_Make sure to rest well and eat enough to sustain you on the full moons! I'll owl you some brownies for the morning after, you'll only eat them all if I send them now. Don't think I don't know you, Lupin!_

_ Much love, Regulus._

**||**

Regulus smiled to himself as he watched the owl flutter away. He had stolen Adhara but Sirius wouldn't mind. At least he hoped not, he couldn't be bothered to get into another spat.

"Reg?"

He turned around upon hearing his brother's voice. Sirius was stood in the doorway, shifting awkwardly as he ran a hand through his hair. His eyes were slightly red and he looked much paler than he had been when he left. 

Regulus felt his stomach swoop, churning uncomfortably as he hurried across the room. "Siri? What's happened?"

Sirius smiled slightly and pulled Regulus to the bed, dropping onto the mattress and tugging Regulus down beside him. "I-" He started, shifting to get comfortable as his feet stayed planted on the floor. "I have to ask you something."

"Okay.." Regulus trailed off, "What is it?"

"Do you-" He cleared his throat, a strange tick spasming along his cheek. Regulus noticed that Sirius was much more tense than he'd realised, as if he were awaiting a painful blow. "Do you happen to be inclined towards anyone romantically?"

Regulus blinked. "Are you asking if I have a crush on someone?"

Sirius flinched, neck tensing as he grimaced. "Do you?"

"I- no, I don't think so?" He said uncertainly. But the moment he said the words he felt the distinct, slightly uncomfortable feeling that he always got whenever he lied to Sirius. Regulus swallowed, mind whirring. Surely he would know if he had a fancy for someone?

"You don't sound so sure." Sirius accused, eyes narrowing. "You can tell me."

Regulus mouthed silently, jaw bobbing as he tried to calm his racing mind. "I- I don't think I do. But I'm not so sure."

"Okay, well." Sirius cleared his throat again and Regulus wondered why Sirius was even asking him this when he was so clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "Let's see, do you happen to know if you have a preference?"

"Is this your _really_ annoying way of asking if I'm a homosexual?" 

"Or otherwise!" Sirius insisted, hands up placatingly, "Whatever makes you happy, Reg. I just thought it would be a good place to start. Because if you don't like girls, I can tick Dorcas off of my list."

"What?" Regulus spluttered, "Me and Dorcas? _Dorcy?_ She's like my annoying, slightly-older sister!" 

Sirius frowned, "Hang on. That's my thing. She's not allowed to be your-" Sirius coughed, "Okay, so no Dorcas or no girls in general?"

"I- both?" Regulus hated how unsure he felt, but this whole topic was discomfiting. "Both, yes." He said certainly, cheeks flushing. 

Honestly, Regulus hadn't ever really paid attention to anyone romantically. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He'd always flushed whenever a boy smiled at him or been kind to him. In fact, the first person he can remember being so nice was-

"Potter!" Regulus gasped before he whispered, "Gross."

Sirius startled, "What? You like-" He gagged, "You like _James?"_

Regulus wrinkled his nose, "What? No. Ew." He let out childishly, "I just realised I think Potter was the first boy, other than you, to be genuinely nice to me. He used to smile at me the first couple weeks of first year, until, you know, it became well known that you hated your Slytherin little brother."

"I never-" Sirius began heatedly.

"I know. I just meant- whatever. Not the point. James used to be nice to me and when I started the Quidditch team I used to get-" He paused, this was a weird conversation to have with his older brother. "Uh, well. Flustered, I suppose."

Sirius looked slightly nauseous, "Are you talking about seeing _topless_ boys making you..." He trailed off uncomfortably, giving Regulus a pointed look.

"What?" Regulus frowned, "No? What are you talking about? I meant whenever they'd compliment me I'd get really happy. You know that um, the fluttery feeling? In your chest and your stomach? When someone really attractive gives you a nice smile or says you impressed them." He blushed slightly. "That."

Sirius looked more relieved than he'd ever seen him, holding a hand to his chest as he breathed, "Bloody hell, thank Merlin for that."

"Uh?" Regulus scrunched his nose. He didn't understand Sirius sometimes. "Anyway. Yes, I definitely think I prefer boys. I think I may have actually had a crush on Potter for a while. For like, five seconds."

Sirius screeched again, "What!"

"For like, days maybe! It wasn't a proper crush. I think it was more of a passing fancy. He's handsome and older than me and very good on the pitch. I used to watch him practice every so often and I admired his skills." He admitted, cheeks darkening. "I didn't properly like him. And pretty soon after than I began to really dislike him, hate him really, for stealing you from me. Turning you against me and the family." He whispered.

"You know that's not true. It was my fault."

"No, I know. Trust me, I like James now as a _friend._ He's still an arrogant prat, but he _is_ lovable and I get why you befriended him. And I certainly hold no romantic feelings for the idiot, that's Evans' burden now."

Sirius shook his head, laughing slightly. "Okay, good. 'Cause that only leaves me with one other possibility, unless you like Crouch or Peter?"

Regulus made a disgusted noise and pulled a face at his brother. "Barty is too young and too... erratic, is probably a good word for it. He's nice to talk to every now and then and he's smart so I don't have to lower myself to speaking like a buffoon. But, no. Definitely not. We aren't _that_ close. As for Pettigrew, well, what was it I said about having to speak like an idiot just to be understood?" He grinned slightly and Sirius shoved him.

"Wormtail's not that slow." Regulus only blinked at him, "Okay he is. But I don't know! The heart wants what the heart wants! Opposites attract and all that." He waved a hand.

Regulus tilted his head, "I don't think I'd be good with someone who opposed me so much. I mean, someone who was so dissimilar to me that we had nothing in common. Pettigrew and I can't even hold a conversation longer than a couple words. There's certainly nothing there."

Sirius nodded slowly. "Okay that only leaves Moony. Unless," He grimaced, "You happen to be more into keeping it within the family like dear old Mum would want."

He gagged, "I love you very much Siri, but if you ever even suggest such a disgusting thing I'll kill you."

"Don't worry little brother, I'm not exactly eager to snog your runty self." 

Regulus made an offended noise, "Understandable but very rude."

Sirius grinned, "You know I love you Reggie."

"Wait-" Regulus blinked, staring hard at Sirius. "Did you say... Moony?"

Moony.. _Remus._

 _Oh_.

It was oddly reminiscent of those terrible realisations he'd come to when he was researching the Horcruxes or Voldemort. He could feel his heart rate increasing, pulse fluttering under his skin as he felt his chest tighten. His mind raced as he thought of Remus Lupin, his best friend who was apparently also his crush. How had he not realised?

The messy sandy curls, the handsome features, his tall lean body that held a hidden strength, his gorgeous amber eyes and warm smiles. The softness of his hands, calloused but big enough that he always felt comforted just by holding them. Remus' long limbs that'd he'd wrap himself in, snuggling into those awful jumpers he loved that Regulus secretly found adorable. The sweet conversations over tea in the kitchens or curled up together in the library, the many nights spent going over their favourite books or talking about mythology that they found interesting.

_"I always liked the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, it's why Lyra is one of my favourite constellations." Regulus had whispered. They laid out on the astronomy tower, staring up at the twinkling lights in the sky. Out in the Scottish Highlands, there was no light pollution or smog to obscure their beauty and Regulus had been eager to speak of the stars to his new friend. He just loved them so much._

_"Yeah? I always thought the story was a bit sad."_

_"It is," Regulus insisted, "But it's beautifully tragic. Orpheus loved her so much that he asked Lord Hades to return her to him. He even agreed, enjoying Orpheus' skill with the lyre and even stayed true to his word. It was due to Orpheus' undying love for her that she was even given the chance to return. Orpheus was only able to enter the underworld by playing his music! His song which spoke of his devotion to his beloved Eurydice." Regulus shook his head, "He didn't trust that Hades had kept his word, he turned around even though he knew to do so would violate the promise he'd given. But it's understandable. He loved her so much and the silence was too difficult to bear."_

_"But if he had just kept going he would have gotten her back. The story wouldn't be sad. It would be a tale of true love and how love can overcome even death."_

_Regulus turned to him, "I think nothing can stop true love. Even death. The story doesn't need to have a happy ending for that to be true. Orpheus loved Eurydice more than anything, he rejected all others for the rest of his life, wandering aimlessly and playing his lyre. He had no muse, no passion for life, for he had no love. He blamed himself for not being able to save his wife and likely died thinking of being reunited with her. It's sad, it's tragic, but it's beautiful."_

_Remus shook his head, "I wouldn't have turned back. I would have kept going. The Gods were untrustworthy, but Orpheus shouldn't have chanced it."_

_"I don't disagree, I just think the story is sweet, in retrospect." He turned to Remus, "I'd do anything for a love like that."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Of course. Orpheus stormed the underworld as gently as only a musician could and practically bewitched Hades into agreeing to give him his wife back. That kind of love is hard to find. He never took another lover either, wandering with no purpose until he died." Regulus sighed, "I'd like it without the sad ending for myself, but I don't think that's in the cards for me."_

_Remus turned to him, "I think it could be."_

Regulus' cheeks burned as he remembered that night. They'd laid upon a blanket, staring up at the sky and whispering to each other. He could remember how content he'd been in Remus' presence, enjoying their soft arguments about the myths and whether they liked the stories or not. They both enjoyed the tale of Castor and Pollux, the reason for the Gemini constellation. Two brothers that loved each other so much even their stars were entwined, he could understand that and thought it was odd that Remus seemed to like it so much. They both also enjoyed the tale of Andromeda and Perseus, but both agreed Cassiopeia was a piece of work and deserved what she'd gotten in the end. 

Remus had laughed and said it must be odd to know people with names from mythology, to which Regulus had begun to recount the tale of Remus and Romulus, showing him his hypocrisy. Remus had rolled his eyes and said that it didn't count as he was only one person and he most certainly didn't have a homicidal twin brother. For Regulus, he'd conceded it was odd and that sometimes the myths or meanings behind the celestial bodies his family members had been named after were scarily accurate. 

Regulus' hands shook as he tried to explain the way he felt about Remus in a platonic way. He couldn't. Remus was everything he could have wanted in a partner personality wise and he was gorgeous too. He hated when Remus insulted himself, Regulus just didn't get what Remus wasn't seeing. He was stunning!

"Regulus? Fuck, breathe, little one." Sirius' hands were cupping his face and Regulus jerked away. "You're okay, love. I'm sorry - shit-"

He shook his head, "No, no I can't. I can't like Remus. He's - Remus would never like me like that. I don't-"

"Calm, baby brother." Sirius whispered, shuffling as close to him as he could without overwhelming him. "Remus isn't a nasty person, he's sweet and gentle and bloody hell Reg he's completely smitten with you."

Regulus jerked, "What? No he isn't! I'd know."

"Just like you'd think you would know if you even liked someone in the first place?"

Regulus felt his panic subsiding slightly. Indignation welled in his chest, "Well- that's-"

"Exactly the point?" Sirius huffed, "You know, I didn't realise it until literally today. So I guess we're both oblivious. But fucking hell Reg, I don't know how I missed it. You two are so-" He cringed, "You act like a married couple. All soft and sappy. Even James isn't that bad with Lily and he's been after her for years!"

"You-" Regulus swallowed. He still felt slightly sick but he was just so confused that he couldn't focus on it. Gripping Sirius' hand helped, very few things could calm him the way his brother's presence could. "What do you mean?"

Sirius groaned. "Seriously, _oblivious._ I only realised it today and pretty much the whole train ride I was staring at you both-"

"I knew it!" He cried.

"Yes, yes. Well done. At least you noticed something." Sirius said pointedly and Regulus scowled. "None of that." He chided, poking his nose. "Anyway. You and Remus are like, ridiculously sappy. It's almost obscene. Trust me, I don't want to watch one of my best friends pant over my little brother and make mushy faces at him. Watching you blush and flutter your lashes like a coy maiden-"

"I did not!" He shrieked, "I would never- you are such a prat, Sirius! We don't-" He blustered, "We didn't-"

"Oblivious." Sirius muttered. "Trust me, I could very well do without having seen that! I wouldn't make this shit up. You two are gross. Honestly, gross."

Regulus felt slightly hurt and flinched minutely. "You-" He swallowed thickly, "Would you have a problem with.. us?"

"What? Huh?" Sirius gaped, "No! That's not what I meant! I meant seeing my ickle baby brother and one of my best mates being all-" He waved a hand, "Is gross. I don't care that you're two boys or-" Sirius tilted his head, "Technically an inter-species relationship."

Regulus' face burned, he hadn't thought about that part of it. "Well, that's none of your business anyway!"

Sirius' face darkened. "About that. Although I may not have a problem with you possibly dating, I don't know how I feel about having to sit and watch it happen. You're a baby, Reg."

Regulus gasped, rage swelling within his chest and he scowled fiercely, "I am not! I'm almost seventeen! That makes me close to being an adult, Sirius Orion Black! You do not get a say in this. I can date whoever I bloody well like!"

Sirius glared, "Not if I say-" He cut himself off, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "Right, right. That's not okay."

Regulus blinked. It was weird watching Sirius so out of control of his own emotions and he narrowed his eyes. "Hang on. Is this- did Grandfather put you up to this?" The timing was odd. It made him suspicious and the way Sirius winced slightly at his words made him feel that little victorious smugness prickle within him. "I knew it!"

"It's not like that. He actually talked me down from flat out storming to Remus and declaring an honour duel."

Regulus gasped. "You _wouldn't!"_

"No, I wouldn't. But I have half a mind to! You're my baby brother, Regulus! I get that you're not a child, but do you-" He tugged his hair furiously, "Do you get why this is hard for me? You're my little brother, seeing you off in a relationship is worrying to me, okay? What if he breaks your heart? What if it doesn't work out? What if-"

"What if the world suddenly ended tomorrow? What if I trip and fall down the stairs and break my neck?" Regulus glared, "You can't protect me forever Sirius. Unless you'd like to follow me around for the rest of my life and not even let me use parchment, lest I gain a papercut." 

Sirius glared at him, "Don't you dare speak like that." He frowned at the latter part of his words, "I know that, anyway. Grandfather took me to task and pretty much beat me round the head verbally. But that doesn't just make it go away. The idea of seeing you and Moony in a romantic sense makes me want to throw up."

"Yes, well, the thought of seeing you with your tongue down someone's throat doesn't exactly make me jump for joy either." He rolled his eyes, "We're brothers, Sirius. It's supposed to gross you out. But as long as you understand that I can and will be with whoever I please, and you are not allowed to try and stop it, then we're good. No getting jealous either. I know you're a clingy prat, I'll always make sure to make time for you."

Sirius pouted slightly, "You'd better. I won't be replaced! I am and always will be the top man in your life." 

Regulus tilted his head, "Oh, I thought you knew, that was Kreacher's place."

"How dare you-" Sirius spluttered, reaching out to cuff Regulus' shoulder. "Don't you even joke like that. If you ever told me you loved that bag of bones more than me I'd give him clothes out of spite."

"Don't joke about that! It really scares him! You're Heir now so you can easily do such a thing! He was terrified you would dismiss him when he found out." Regulus admonished and was pleased Sirius looked abashed, "Good. Are we okay now? I mean, we're talking as if I'm about to get into a relationship anyway. Remus doesn't-" He blushed, "There is no way Remus likes me back."

 _"Back?_ So you admit that you like him?" Sirius was truly like a dog with a bone and Regulus lamented this fact.

Regulus groaned, "Yes. _Fine._ Okay. I like him a lot and I'd like to hold his hand and kiss his stupid face. Happy?"

Sirius frowned, "No. You do realise Moony is just as gone for you, right? Maybe even more so. He's like," He scrunched his face up, grimacing slightly. "He looks at you like he's never seen anyone so beautiful. It's like you've bewitched him, Reg. I've never seen someone so sappy. It's vomit inducing!"

Regulus flushed pleasantly. He preened slightly at the thought. Someone could actually look at him that way? Like he was something _special?_ "Impossible. Pull the other one, I'm not buying it." Regulus waved him off, "Can we talk about something else? Like, perhaps, the breakthrough I had and am desperate to test out?"

Sirius glared at him reprovingly, "You're a stupid little bastard if you can't see it. Even I can see it, and I don't want to!"

"We aren't discussing this." Regulus insisted, "I won't get my hopes up. Remus Lupin is far too good for me and I'd only bring him strife. Let's not talk in circles, it's done."

Sirius looked terribly sad. He looked slightly pitying too which agitated Regulus. "Fine. Whatever. Be stupid. We _will_ discuss this later - in fact, we'll discuss this the next time we see James. He can see it too and he's not likely to spare your feelings the way I will. He'll tell you straight up." Sirius shifted, "Besides. I've only recently realised, pretty sure James had known for months. Bloody hell, has Moony had a crush on you that long?" He muttered to himself.

Regulus refused to believe it. It just couldn't be. Remus was too good for him and he hadn't been exaggerating, he would only bring the boy heartache. He knew Sirius still struggled with his tendency to endanger himself and his determination to jump into battle. He wouldn't bring that kind of worry on a partner, on a potential boyfriend. It would only end badly.

"Actually." Sirius perked up suddenly, "I do have good news. I heard from Grandfather that there's supposed to be a lightning storm in a week or so."

Regulus startled, "Really? So soon into the year? They're usually more common in the summer months."

Sirius shrugged, "Supposedly. Apparently there's been an increase in storms and it's supposed to heat up to a lightning strike soon. We'll actually be at the Potters when it happens so if you've got your potion, you'll be able to transform."

"So we're going to the Potters soon?" Regulus felt that tingle of excitement. That meant Remus would be there. He grinned suddenly, "That's true! I left it in a box in my trunk so I'll be able to bring it with us!"

"Yeah! You'll be a proper Marauder soon. We'll be going for the last week of term. That means we've got today to relax and then we can test out your theory too. Grandfather's already writing a letter to Gringotts to arrange the uh," He coughed, "Acquisition of the dagger Bellatrix stole." He winked and Regulus rolled his eyes. He had just come from that meeting with Grandfather, it wasn't like he'd forgotten the need to lie. His brother lacked _all_ subtlety. 

"That's good. We could have three Horcruxes by the time the holiday is over." Regulus chirped, "That's amazing progress! Especially if my map works."

"Map?" Sirius tilted his head, "Do you think it will?"

"Maybe." Regulus shrugged. "I hope so. I really do think he somehow got his hands on Ravenclaw's diadem, but there's no telling where he placed the bloody thing. That leaves us with four Horcruxes, five if you include Voldemort as a piece of his soul."

Sirius shook his head, "Five's a weird number. Do you think there's two more? Makes it seven."

They'd gone over the magical stability of numbers and three and seven were the most likely candidates. Any higher and Voldemort would likely be completely insane and would be like a walking muggle bomb. But they'd ruled out three when they realised Voldemort himself technically counted as another piece of his soul, therefore, seven was the most likely number.

Regulus sighed, "I hope not. Though," He grimaced, "Maybe he's _planning_ to make them at some point. I doubt you can make a Horcrux too close to each other, maybe he has to wait a while between them. That could be good for us."

Sirius nodded, "True. I'd rather we interrupted his little crusade for immortality _before_ he was able to make more of the things. We still don't have an assured way to destroy them."

Regulus laid a hand on his brother's arm, "You'll do it. I know you will. There's no doubt in my mind that within time, you'll be able to cast Fiendfyre effectively with little risk to yourself."

Sirius looked glum, "With the rate I'm going at, it'll be at least a year or maybe two before I can destroy them."

"It's fine." Regulus insisted, "I'd much rather you were safe and not pushing your limits. Two years isn't great, but do the best you can. Worst comes to worse, we'll find an abandoned warehouse or large field, throw all of the Horcruxes as far as we can and light the place up."

Sirius snorted, "Yeah and risk either losing our own lives or endangering anyone that has the misfortune of being nearby."

Regulus shrugged, "If we found a secluded enough place and warded the area, it's a viable option. Seriously, _don't_ push yourself Siri. We have time."

"Thousands of people-"

 _"We have time."_ He insisted, "If we hadn't found the Horcruxes in the first place and had just let Dumbledore lead the resistance, we'd likely never have even gotten _this_ close. We're onto something big, Siri. It's tough, it's dangerous and it'll take a while, but this is the best chance we've got. We can take a moment to breathe."

"Tell yourself that!" Sirius spluttered, "You're desperate to get your map working. Take this evening at least to just chill. Let's go fly or search for angry old portraits to burn. Just, relax!"

Regulus groaned, slumping in submission. "Fine! Whatever. Come on, I want to go see if there's another portrait of Elladora. I'd love to show that witch a thing or two." He grinned. Sirius started cackling and tugged him out of the room, pushing past him to run down the hall towards the door that led to the attic. 

"Ooh! Last one there has to polish Phineas Nigellus' plaque!"

Regulus gasped, running to catch up with his brother. "Prick!"

"Sirius! No running in my halls!"

"Sorry Grandfather!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed.. Remus/Regulus was a heavy feature in this chapter so I hope you're all okay with that!
> 
> I love writing Regulus' POV, he's just such a sweet boy. He's very strong but he's still a damaged boy and he's much more sensitive and emotional than Sirius. Well, Regulus is more teary where Sirius is more prone to anger.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed! Leave a comment <3


	23. The Goblins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus does some magic, the trio of Blacks go to Gringotts and Sirius has a bit of a bad time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some.. Dark Sirius?

Regulus was glad he'd decided to take a break from the world.

Just running around the Manor and being carefree made him reminisce on the nicer moments from his childhood. Being free to run around the manor with his brother as he pleased, laughing and pulling mild pranks on each other filled Regulus with the same happiness he'd been feeling more often lately. He also loved seeing Sirius able to roam around a Black property, grey eyes sparkling without fear of Walburga appearing with her wand brandished.

Thinking of Mother always soured his joy and he'd taken to trying to forget she existed to savour his own peace. She had tried to demand he come to Grimmauld Place for the holidays but he'd refused. He had never felt so _strong_ the day he wrote the letter telling her that no, he would not be returning home and that he would be with Grandfather. 

Lord Black had also sent a letter to her, telling her that she was not to come to the Manor at all during the holidays and she would see the boys at a later date. Grandfather would be hosting another family dinner at the start of the summer to check up on the family. He also said he would be making some more changes which Sirius and Regulus were not yet privy to.

He had an inkling, of course, and he hoped he was right, but it was best not to say anything lest he ruin the surprise. He was pretty sure Sirius had no idea, he'd whined heavily about Grandfather keeping secrets and his 'stupid swotty little brother'. Regulus only threw a book at his head instead of bothering to reply. Sirius got the message.

Grandfather did tell them, however, that they'd all be taking a trip to Gringotts within a day or so. They'd gone over their plan, which wasn't much of a plan to begin with. That seemed to be a recurring theme. However, this was certainly the most thought out of the Horcrux gatherings that they'd been on.

It was also Regulus' third time and Grandfather's first, so they _seemed_ to be hoping that Regulus would sit this one out.

_As if._

Regulus had made it quite clear that he would be attending and they had no right to stop him. Grandfather had tried to persuade him that it would be a good idea to stay, just in case the plan went wrong, but Regulus wouldn't hear it. He'd admittedly gotten a little petulant when he'd stomped his foot and scowled at them both until they relented. Sirius only said that he'd be furious if Regulus did something stupid, he didn't know what he meant.

Regulus was very smart but he had a tendency to lose himself in his goals. Sirius had said it was the Ravenclaw in him; that he became so entranced in his mission that he began to forget what was in front of him. Meaning, he forgot to keep himself safe or take a break, unable to stop until his curiosity was satisfied or his mission fulfilled. But he couldn't help it! He needed to do everything he could, else what was the point?

They day after he and Sirius had defaced one of the Black portraits and had been chastised by Grandfather, Regulus decided he physically couldn't restrain himself any longer and began getting his supplies ready.

He ensured all of his notes had been sent off to Grandfather who had looked through them and given him a thoroughly impressed look that day at dinner. He'd smiled softly and nodded, giving his approval to test his theory. Sirius had continued to whine that he had no idea what was being spoken about and Regulus had pinched his leg for being obnoxious.

That day, Regulus went down to the duelling room. It was the best place to test any kind of magic as the room was warded to contain any possible backlash. Even Fiendfyre could be safely cast, as long as one had total control of it, the flames would not attempt to devour the room or the caster. He didn't exactly expect there to be any backlash, but when working with Horcruxes it was difficult to predict.

He'd asked Grandfather where he was keeping the Horcruxes at the moment as they had all agreed that keeping them all in the same place was not advisable. It wasn't certain, but there was the chance that the soul pieces may feed off of each other and could even meld together. They didn't know how much of Voldemort's soul was in each piece, they weren't sure exactly how much was cut off each time, but two or three Horcruxes mingling _could_ be enough to form an actual person.

Which would lead to two Voldemort's running around. Not good.

Grandfather had assured him that the locket was in a well warded trunk right at the opposite end of the manor at the lowest part of the attic. He'd had different house elves checking that the location was secure still and so far the Horcrux seemed unable to affect the area around them. As for the diary, he'd had it sent to a Black property by the coast with elves checking the location multiple times a day. Regulus had asked which one but Grandfather had said it was safe, that was all he needed to know. 

Sirius had suspected that Grandfather may have used the Fidelius Charm on the property some time ago and Regulus felt a little upset that he hadn't thought of that. It was a brilliant way to hide the diary which they suspected was Voldemort's _first_ Horcrux.

Though they weren't sure, they'd speculated that it was possible the Horcruxes worked by splitting the soul directly in half. That would mean that the diary Horcrux would be the largest portion as it was clearly his first made. Unless Voldemort really was just sentimental about a tattered old journal, which was unlikely but considering he was an insane Dark Lord, one could never be certain.

Regulus wasn't even certain that his map idea would work, but he had to try. He knew he'd give them a crucial edge if it worked. It simply had to. He couldn't fail his family, his friends.. his possible _crush._

He'd refused to speak any more on the subject of Remus. Even when Adhara had been sent back with a thick letter tied to her leg from the boy, Regulus had gone bright red and refused to open it until Sirius left. His brother had been suspicious, looking between him and the letter confusedly before smirking and walking out the door, whistling a jaunty tune. He'd been tempted to stab Sirius at lunch for the looks he was sending him, but the gentle words of encouragement and understanding from Remus had made him feel gooey inside.

Seriously, since when did Regulus get so mushy over a _boy?_ Disgraceful, really. He could not allow _anyone_ to know how he'd squealed when Remus had signed the letter with _'much love and tender thoughts'_. That boy was dangerous. Someone should do something.

It was confusing though. Before that day, Remus Lupin had been his best friend. Now, he was something more. He didn't quite know where to go from there. He wasn't sure he'd be able to look Remus in the eye as ever since he'd started to think of him romantically, he couldn't stop. 

It was like a floodgate had been opened. Thoughts of Remus plagued him and it was getting ridiculously distracting. He found himself acting much like those girls he'd seen simpering over Sirius or how James used to react if Lily so much as glanced at him. He'd caught himself squealing and shaking from excitement just by reading Remus' letters and he'd even began giggling senselessly and burying his face in his pillow when he remembered some of their conversations.

Bloody hell he was an embarrassment to his whole _bloodline._ He was acting like.. like a silly child with a crush! Which, in hindsight, is basically what he was.

Either way, Regulus couldn't focus on it. He couldn't think about how warm and safe Remus made him feel and how endearing his habit of carrying chocolate around was or how he often had ink stains on the cuffs of his shirts because he would lean across his parchment before it was dry and-

No.

He had to stop.

Luckily, as he began to get himself ready, Grandfather appeared with a wary Sirius behind him. "You are almost done, yes?"

Regulus nodded, thankful for the distraction. He had taken his notes and stacked them, laying a fresh piece of parchment on the floor with an outline of the British Isles that he'd carefully spelled on. It was a risk to only assume it was somewhere in the United Kingdom, but he doubted Voldemort would want his soul too far away. Sirius had pointed out that having a Horcrux in Australia would make it harder for him to protect and check up on, which is why Regulus chanced it by only drawing their little island.

"You alright, little star?" Sirius murmured as he got closer. Grandfather went to the other end of the room and called an elf, likely to bring the Horcrux to them. Regulus could tell that Sirius was nervous, he only ever called him 'little star' when he was nervous or otherwise emotionally compromised. He wasn't sure why though, this wasn't the most dangerous thing they had planned, that would be the Gringotts heist (as Sirius had begun to call it).

"I'm fine, Siri. Honest. This is going to be simple, you'll see." And it really would be. Regulus was certain.

Grandfather slowly approached, handing over the diary reluctantly. They'd decided to use the diary as it was likely the largest part of the soul and therefore would be the easiest to focus on for the map. He'd almost made a large error and had smacked himself for his oversight. When he'd first begun to theorise how he would approach this, he'd thought about somehow transferring the soul into the map and using that as a beacon to ping off of the other Horcruxes.

Essentially, it would have made another Horcrux out of the map and it very well could have alerted Voldemort to what they were doing. So, no way was he doing that.

"What exactly is the plan here? Are Grandfather and I supposed to just sit back and watch you do this?" Sirius' voice was terse and had the same sharp edge that indicated he was getting increasingly agitated.

To soothe his brother, he turned and placed a delicate hand on his brother's, inwardly cursing Walburga for the difference in size. "Siri. Please. Trust me. This isn't dangerous. I'll be fine."

"You're poking around a Horcrux!" Sirius hissed, "Excuse me for being concerned."

Regulus refrained from sighing. He knew something was wrong with Sirius, had known this for a while, and he'd begun to think it may have been because of him and Remus, but that wasn't true. Sirius had admitted to him that he hadn't known about the two of them getting closer until very recently, and Sirius had been out of sorts for months. He'd noticed he would get worse whenever any mention of the war or danger in general was brought up.

This just proved what Regulus had begun to theorise; that it had something to do with _him_ specifically. He'd wait though. It was only a matter of days until they'd be reunited with the Marauders at Potter Manor. It would be much more difficult for Sirius to run off and ignore them all, he was too well bred and courteous to make a scene in someone else's home.

"Peace." Grandfather soothed, gesturing for Sirius to join him. He reluctantly stomped over to Grandfather, scowling harder when the man smiled slightly, "Such a wilful boy. Please, trust in your brother." There was a steel behind his words that seemed to resonate with Sirius and not for the first time, Regulus wondered just what the two had spoken about while Regulus wasn't there. It was something important, he just didn't know exactly what. Sirius had let odd things slip but not enough to truly be certain and when he'd tried to ask, Sirius had waved him off.

"I do. I do trust you, Regulus." He insisted, facing Regulus who nodded gently. "Will you be needing back-up? Should we raise a shield?" Sirius asked, much calmer but still slightly tremulous. 

"It should be fine. You may wish to have your wand at the ready though. Can't be too careful." He muttered at the end, slowly uncovering the diary from the black cloth it was wrapped in. "Actually, yes. Throw up a shield. I don't want the diary to influence you in any way."

"What about you?" Sirius cried.

"He will be fine. Regulus, your occlumency will be needed." Grandfather affirmed and Regulus nodded, closing his eyes. He cleared his mind and slowly raised his shield as he laid the diary out in front of him.

He opened his eyes feeling slightly floaty but focused on the task quickly. Regulus looked down at the diary, feeling the slight malevolent pulse at the boundaries of his mind and spared a glance to Sirius and Grandfather. They were both tense, wands raised and Sirius had a slight grimace on his face as he watched.

Regulus turned back to the diary. The other bonus of using the diary instead of the locket or the cup after they hopefully acquired it, was that the diary was a much easier surface to draw Runes on. It was flat and had a wider surface area, much easier than a bejewelled locket or a small cup.

Regulus raised his engraving quill and set to work. He began carefully tracing the intricate Runes in the specific order he'd created over the weeks leading up to this date. He'd tried several variations of the Runes involved and the sequencing, but he'd always thoroughly checked them for errors. In one, it would have all been useless due to a single Rune that would have clashed with the one after it. Another variation was thrown away due to the slight probability that it would alert all of the pieces being searched for. Meaning, Voldemort would have felt something the moment he activated the map.

It had been decided by Regulus that he would do a more simplistic version of the Marauders Map and he'd had to be careful when selecting the enchantments he would put on the map. Luckily he didn't need to go quite as intricate as the Marauders Map was. There was no need for a spell to insult anyone trying to force the map to reveal its contents, nor was there a need to track a persons movements with a spell to show their name in real time. 

Though, he'd made sure to find the charm Remus used to ensure the locator spell would work through any wards or boundaries. He wasn't sure if it would work through the Fidelius Charm, which was an oversight, he supposed. They'd likely test it, they could keep the diary where the locket currently is and place the locket in the property on the coast. It would be best to keep the focal point for the map close by, it was possible that a large distance could weaken the spells or may break them altogether.

Regulus slowly let out a breath as he finished carving the Runes onto the soft leather of the diary. It was such an odd item, Regulus was certain it just had to have been the first. It was such a random object to use, one that only a teenager would have thought fitting. Besides, as a teenager, Voldemort wouldn't have had the freedom nor the money to acquire other objects. He must have gotten the locket and cup from the Smith woman, robbing her and killing her to hide what he'd done.

He could hear shifting behind him, clothes rustling and soft hushing. He didn't need to turn to know that Sirius was getting antsy and probably wanted to drag Regulus kicking and screaming from the room. He'd probably said something about it taking a while and Grandfather was telling him to be silent.

Good. He needed to concentrate.

He raised his wand and grimaced, Sirius wouldn't like this. Slowly, he raised the tip to one of his fingers and cut the tip with a whispered severing charm. The drops of blood fell on the map just as he cast the activation spell on the Runes on the diary. Sirius hissed and he heard louder shuffling but kept his focus. He began to softly murmur the spells. Layer by layer he added to the map, letting the ink and blood flow across the parchment, responding to his call to pinpoint the location of the Horcruxes.

He prayed that his use of Kenaz wouldn't somehow alert Voldemort, certain his use of Isa would create a block to stop this from happening. Kenaz was thought of as a beacon or a guiding light and he could only hope his other Runes would weaken this. Regulus had wanted to avoid this Rune for this very reason, but Kenaz had links to vision, revelation, regeneration and knowledge. All crucial for this to work. He'd used Arithmancy to calculate the probabilities and he'd been pleased with the results. It would work, it _had_ to.

Regulus continued to chant, progressively getting louder as the ink swirled, absorbing his blood and accepting the small sacrifice. The ink on the parchment glowed brightly in time with the Runes, it had worked!

Regulus gasped as he looked down at the map. He watched the ink slowly settle, the British Isles much darker than it had been before and more detailed. The capital and any other major city within the Isles had been marked and he flicked his eyes across the odd markings showing a change in terrain. There were distinct dots on the parchment, scattered across the country and Regulus let out a choked sound and he pressed a hand to his mouth.

He'd done it.

He'd truly done it!

"Oh sweet Nimue." He whispered, "Oh Lady Hecate, _thank you_." He prayed, feeling tears burn in his eyes. He'd actually done it!

"Regulus." Grandfather called warily, "Are you safe?"

Regulus couldn't answer, he clutched the map to his chest and examined it closely.

There was a distinctive marker where he knew Black Manor was and he inwardly grinned when he noticed the large size of the dots. They seemed to coincide to the amount of the soul and he grimaced at the largest dot, right where he knew Lestrange Manor was situated. There was a dot by the coast on the south west of England, it was marked close to a place called Exeter and he wondered what the significance of the area was. The dot in London was obvious, it was where the cup was, right in the bowels of Gringotts. Regulus scoured the map, that was four, five-

He let out a strangled gasp. _No._ That couldn't be. 

Sirius had clearly had enough and stormed over to him, "Reg? Are you-"

Regulus choked again as he shoved the map in Grandfather's hand. "Look!"

Grandfather gave him a wary glance and surveyed the contents of the map. He let out a pleased hum, "This is brilliant, Regulus! It works!"

"What?" Sirius gasped, turning to the map. They both surveyed it with glimmering eyes, "This is amazing Reggie!"

"No-" Regulus shook his head, "Look at Scotland."

They both frowned and looked back to the map. Regulus saw Grandfather understood first, his face tightened and he clenched his jaw, hands grasping the parchment firmly. Sirius took a moment longer before he too frowned, "Wh- That can't be right." He shook his head, "There's no way."

"It is." Grandfather said grimly, "This map is a marvel. I must commend you, my boy. This is the edge we've needed. It's only a shame that it had such an awful revelation."

"It can't be! There's no way a Horcrux is in bloody Hogwarts!" Sirius cried, "We'd have found it! Trust me, the Marauders have been everywhere in that castle!"

Regulus shook his head, "It's there. There's stories of the famed Chamber of Secrets."

"That's a myth." Sirius insisted before he froze. "But," He tilted his head, "Didn't Bella say he was the Heir of Slytherin?"

Regulus winced, nodding. "It's in the castle somewhere. It might not be in the Chamber, but it's _there._ It could be in a random classroom under a hundred bloody enchantments for all we know!"

Grandfather frowned, "It must be well hidden. Albus Dumbledore wouldn't let a Horcrux stay in the castle. Not unless he was certain no student would ever find it."

"What if that's why it's there?" Sirius queried, "What if Dumbledore found a Horcrux and wanted to keep it close by? Maybe he's doing what we're doing."

"No." Grandfather shook his head, "He's far too Light. He wouldn't keep it at Hogwarts, certainly not while there were students around-" He faltered slightly, tensing and jerking away. Sirius too scowled heavily, hands forming fists as he glared down at the floor.

It was then that Regulus began to feel the chill in the room. The air had thickened and there was a slight whispering, probing him to start arguing with Sirius, how dare he question the validity of his map, how dare he say that Remus and Regulus-

"Kreacher!" He screeched. The elf appeared promptly, as he always did whenever his favourite master called. "The diary! Take it away!"

"To the coastal property I had you check, Kreacher." Grandfather interjected, looking slightly nauseous. "Well done, Regulus." The elf popped away, sending a wary glance at Regulus.

Sirius gagged, "Fucking hell. Was that.." He looked at where the diary had been and swallowed. "That was..."

"Horrible. I know." Regulus shook his head. "This isn't great. But it's certainly not the worst news. There's two Horcruxes unaccounted for and we have a rough idea of where they are now. This is a big breakthrough!" He tried to sound cheery.

Sirius smiled slightly, "That's true. At least there's not a dozen more to find. Hey, we're almost halfway!" He grinned, "All thanks to you, little lion! That was amazing!"

"Truly, Regulus. This is a spectacular piece of work." Grandfather smiled slightly and handed the map to him. "We shall research these other two locations later. Let's take this one by one. We'll focus on acquiring the cup first, then we'll see if the other two locations will be possible."

"Well we'll be back at Hogwarts soon so we can start searching the castle." Regulus said before he amended himself, "No, actually. I will search, Sirius will be focusing on his NEWTs."

"What! I'm not letting you search the castle alone!" He insisted. "You'll bloody well wait and we'll do it together. We need to try and brainstorm possible locations, it's better than just searching room by room."

Regulus rolled his eyes but conceded, "Whatever. Would you like to keep the map, Grandfather? It will be much safer in your office."

Grandfather nodded, "I'll hang on to it. You've done very well today, this is a much needed breakthrough."

Sirius grinned, looping an arm around Regulus' shoulders, "Didn't doubt you for a second, love!" He grinned, "No brother of mine would screw up such a simple piece of magic. A Rune here, a swish of the wand there-"

Regulus spluttered indignantly, "How dare you-"

"And don't think I didn't see you maiming yourself!" Sirius admonished, waggling a finger at him. "You're on time out, little one! No more trouble for the rest of the day. Go to your room and think about what you've done!" 

Regulus kicked him in the shin and twirled away from his flailing arms. 

He loved his brother, but he was such an _idiot_ sometimes.

The next day they were all eagerly gazing at the map. 

They were to go to Gringotts in roughly an hour or so but they decided to try and compare the rough map to a more detailed version. They'd found that one of the dots was close to some villages. None of them were too sure what that was about, but Grandfather had stared oddly at one of the village names as if he was sure he recognised it. He'd probably look into it later and tell the boys once he was sure, he wasn't the type to speak his thoughts aloud. Sirius had grumbled over the Horcrux that had to be in Hogwarts, upset that they hadn't somehow found it already.

Regulus had reminded him that Hogwarts had many secrets and that they should hope it was somewhere accessible. If it was in the famed Chamber of Secrets, it would be impossible to get. Legend had it that only the Heir could open the Chamber and unleash the beast within. Regulus had sniffed offendedly when Sirius asked them both if perhaps it was somewhere in the Slytherin common room. He and Grandfather had shared a look, there was no way. Too obvious. Too _Gryffindor._

Sirius had been very cheery after they'd gotten the map to work and he was even more upbeat the next morning. Regulus had asked him what was wrong but Sirius had shrugged him off, mumbling something about being eager to get another Horcrux. Regulus wasn't sure, it definitely wasn't a lie but he didn't feel like it was the whole truth. He'd noticed Sirius' increasing need to be out in the field, fighting the good fight and doing all he could. He could relate, after all, but Sirius had started to get a little obsessive about it all.

He resolved to mention it at Potter Manor, adding it to his mental list of things to speak about when they were there. He had a few items on his list so far as well as a very large reminder to not get caught staring at Remus' gorgeous eyes or the cute little scar on his lip. Nope, he wouldn't do it.

Once they'd finished examining the map, Grandfather carefully placed the parchment inside his desk drawer. "Let us depart." Grandfathers voice was as even as always and Regulus commended him for sounding so casual.

Sirius beside him tensed minutely before nodding. Regulus wondered if he was the most anxious here or if the other two were just very good at hiding it. Something about robbing Gringotts just put him on edge, apparently that put him in the minority here.

He knew it was unlikely that Bellatrix would be informed but he worried that she'd somehow find out. Sirius had been the one to suggest leaving a proper duplicate, not just a random pebble. Sirius and Grandfather had worked together to create a solid replica that Regulus carved Runes on the base of, obscuring them from sight and ensuring they'd give off the same malicious aura that the Horcruxes did. Sirius had lamented the fact that James wasn't there, his abilities with Transfiguration would have made the very arduous task much easier.

Regulus had tried to think of a good reason _not_ to tell the Marauders of the Horcrux hunt and had quietly mentioned to Sirius that he did want to tell them. However, he'd said he couldn't agree to telling Pettigrew. For himself, he just didn't trust him and he frankly never would. His brother had rightfully gotten upset and Regulus had told him either they informed the other two Marauders, or _none_ of them would know.

Sirius had said he would think about it, but Regulus had seen the way he'd looked at Peter the past few weeks. A certain wariness had filled Sirius and he didn't even feel that same vindictive glee he would have felt months ago. He just felt sad for his brother. He was losing his faith in someone that had once been one of his closest friends.

"Hold on tight." Was all the warning Grandfather gave before they apparated directly onto the steps of Gringotts. They could have flooed, but Grandfather had said it would be best to be as open as possible. If they tried to conceal themselves further or hide behind the Goblins, it would become obvious that something wicked was afoot.

Regulus always marvelled at the beauty of Gringotts bank. The large white columns and oddly crooked structure always fascinated him as a child and he thought it was an oddly magical place. Perhaps that was just him, but he thought the fact that the country's money was all housed mainly in this one place that went so far below the surface it was difficult to comprehend, utterly intriguing. He was honestly a little surprised nobody had been able to rob them sooner but he didn't doubt that any kind of thief entering Gringotts would meet a sticky end.

And didn't that just fill him with anxiety.

Sirius tugged him slightly, sending him a reassuring grin. He breathed outwardly, taking a moment to ground himself. This could all go horribly wrong, but worse comes to worse, they'll fight with everything they can to get out even if it means blasting through hoards of Goblins and Death Eaters and probably Aurors too. They'd probably have to go on the run and leave the country and abandon their friends and Remus would _never_ want to be with a criminal-

"Come, boys. Let us begin." Grandfather said smoothly, adjusting his cloak slightly as he seemed to glide up the steps to the large double doors. The two Goblin guards narrowed their eyes and allowed them entry and Regulus refrained from letting out a sigh of relief; This was only the beginning.

Regulus followed his grandfather in all his glory as Lord Black. Crowds parted as Sirius too followed closely, standing tall and proud, Heir ring glinting in the light streaming through the high windows. Many wizards and witches murmured amongst themselves, moving away from the three Blacks and hurriedly whispering. Regulus thought it funny how people reacted to them all now.

It used to be that people cowered in fear and disgust. Now, it was a mixture of fear, respect and awe. They'd turned into quite the celebrities, especially Sirius due to his dashing good looks and rebellious nature. He knew that once he had graduated, Witch Weekly would make Sirius a constant feature on their magazine. 

The Goblin teller at the main desk peered down at them, narrowing his eyes and using a single gnarled finger to gesture for them to continue. Lord Black nodded once, bowing his head much further than any wizard would as a sign of respect before continuing down the hall he had indicated. Sirius and Regulus mimicked his actions, showing their respect before joining their grandfather.

Most wizards wouldn't dare bow their head to a creature and certainly not to a Goblin, they were considered untrustworthy which in this instance worked well for them. 

Lord Black continued to stride down the halls confidently until they stopped in front of a door guarded by a Goblin. The Goblin stared at them for a moment before knocking the door he was guarding. 

There was a moment of silence before rapid Gobbledegook was heard on the other side. The Goblin at the door replied promptly and there was another pause before a short reply from inside the room came and the Goblin opened the door. "He will see you now."

They entered into an office. Large by Goblin standards, but Regulus was a Black and used to rooms double the size of this. He glanced around slightly impressed despite himself, it was _filled_ with various treasures. Most offices would have a tasteful amount of precious items decorating the walls and the cabinets, just enough to prove you were wealthy but not enough to be overly boastful. 

This office however, was practically sparkling with all of the silver and gold littering the walls. There was at least three different shields, a variety of axes and spears as well as two large swords. There were silver coins filling three separate trays and a collection of silverware and silver chalices were inside a large cabinet with wrought gold handles. By wizarding standards, this office took boastful to the extremes.

The Goblin at the desk looked at them severely, he gazed at them through suspicious eyes as if they'd suddenly scoop up all of his treasures and make a mad dash for the door. Ragnok, the little nameplate supplied, continued to stare at them for a moment before tutting slightly. "You are here to enter the vault of one Bellatrix Lestrange."

Lord Black hummed, "Yes. She is in possession of a Black family heirloom."

Ragnok snorted softly, "Wizards. Always to eager to keep that which is not yours."

Regulus grimaced inwardly. Goblins were so tricky purely because their idea of ownership was not that of wizarding folks. To a wizard, if someone made you something and you paid for the right to use it, it was _yours._ If you died, it would go to whoever you named in your will or to the nearest relation. However, Goblins believed that upon your death, the item they made was to be returned to them. Regulus could understand to some degree, but if you were paid for your services in full, you had no right to demand the item be returned to you. You'd already been paid for your work and lost ownership rights.

"Quite." Was all Grandfather replied. Regulus refrained from snickering at the lack of care in his voice. "We will require an escort, I suppose."

Ragnok nodded once, "You will be given ten minutes to locate the item. Once that time is up, you will vacate the vault. If you are still inside the vault at that time you will be locked inside." He warned dryly. Regulus felt Sirius tense slightly and reached a hand out to stroke a finger down the back of his brother's hand. Sirius nudged him slightly and Regulus smiled.

"Understood." Lord Black replied. Sirius repeated the words just before Regulus did too. The Goblin watched them all for a moment before another Goblin entered the room. 

"Bogrod will escort you to the vault." Ragnok said and Bogrod straightened to attention. He gestured with a crooked finger for them to follow him out of the office. 

They moved in utter silence. They didn't need to go back into the main part of the bank, keeping to the edges as they skirted around where the largest of the crowds would be. Bogrod led them to the carts and Regulus wanted to protest needlessly. He _hated_ the carts. Not because of the awful journey, he could handle it well enough, but the way the Goblins acted as if there was only one speed and would laugh at them always irritated him. 

He and Sirius shared disgruntled looks hidden by a mask of neutrality as they slipped in beside Grandfather. "Go." Bogrod grumbled and the cart suddenly jerked. They soared through the air, seeming to fly they were moving so fast. The cart jerked and shuddered along the tracks, stopping suddenly just to completely change direction. Regulus grimaced as he heard the roar of a dragon. He hated the fact that they abused these magnificent creatures for their most wealthy clients, it just wasn't _necessary._

The dragon was beautifully sad. A large, majestic Ukrainian Ironbelly with clouded eyes and metallic grey scales was chained down by the neck, unable to fly or get any proper exercise due to the cramped space of the cavern. Well, it was certainly a large area, but for a being with an average size of roughly sixty feet, it was nowhere near big enough. He grimaced, turning and hiding his face closer to his brother.

Sirius thought he was awfully sly, keeping Regulus sandwiched in between he and Grandfather, but Regulus was no fool. His brother had been cautiously taking at least half a step back all day, making sure that Regulus was always somewhat toward the middle in order to protect him better. He trusted that Grandfather would cover his front whilst Sirius covered him from behind.

It was sweet, it really was. And that little part of him delighted in it, pleased to see the proof of his brother's love for him. Regulus was glad that needy little part of him was shrinking however. He hated how insecure it made him feel, even making him doubt the most sure thing in his life; Sirius' undying loyalty for those he loves.

As sweet as it was, he hoped this wasn't Sirius still seeing him as a child. He knew how it discomfited his brother to see Regulus in any kind of mature way, he was just so used to associating Regulus with a scared little boy. It was sweet, and he could understand it somewhat, he didn't think he'd ever be able to stop seeing Sirius as the hero he'd always idolised, the protective big brother that he worshipped as a child. But he knew that eventually Sirius would need to let this idea go, Regulus was fast approaching adulthood and a relationship could possibly follow.

Maybe. _Hopefully._

He hadn't dared to allow himself to hope, but just maybe if he was worthy enough, at the end of this war...

Sirius suddenly went to stand and Regulus realised they'd stopped. Regulus frowned slightly but then he looked at the vault door and swallowed down the panicked urge to cry out in fear. He knew it was illogical. He hadn't been this freaked out about the cave or Malfoy Manor, but that's because in the first incidence he had been certain of his own demise and panicking was useless, and for the second he had always been ready to blame Malfoy if they'd gotten caught.

They didn't have that luxury here.

Ragnok would only be looking the other way here because Lord Black had given them a fifteenth-century collection of silver platters, chalices and silverware, all of which were engraved with the Black family crest. The Goblin had grinned viciously and happily clung to them as Lord Black promised they'd get the prized piece after, a large pitcher made completely of silver with emeralds creating a beautiful design on the side of the jug. It was used at Black parties for centuries and to give it back to the Goblins after all this time was a very grand show of good faith.

However, at any moment the Goblins could choose to betray them. Ragnok had only told Bogrod that the Black family would be taking an item _back_ and it was very likely Bogrod may try to sound the alarm.

Grandfather had told them this the day he'd made the arrangements, lamenting over the Goblins greed for not realising that the Black family had many more items they could have exploited. However, being presented such a bounty had blinded them and by the time the shock had probably worn off, they'd been unable to do anything. 

Perhaps they could have promised to give the cup back, the locket too, if it weren't for the fact that Sirius would be melting them beyond recognition at some point. Maybe they'd like the remnants anyway.

Regulus climbed out of the cart and stood between his brother and Grandfather. He'd tried to stand on the end but Sirius had practically shoved him between them both, angling Regulus so he was slightly behind them. It made him want to roll his eyes but he had to keep a straight face. Ragnok had made this deal with them and it would not last forever. You could never trust the Goblins, no matter what. There was always the likelihood that they would turn around and stab you in the back.

"We need no further escort." Grandfather murmured.

"We will wait out here." Bogrod grumbled, looking at his companion Goblin that had followed. The Goblin grunted and gestured for Bogrod to allow them entry. Bogrod made a similar grunt as he went about his work, opening up the vaults in a grand spectacle that Regulus thought was largely for show. Most of the enchantments were internal and he doubted they really needed to show all of the mechanical gears whirring.

The vault opened with a muted thud, slowly gliding on it's hinges until the contents of the vault were visible. Grandfather sent them both a cautious look before ducking his head slightly to climb through the entrance. He followed with Sirius bringing up the rear and looked around.

It was large, of course. The Lestranges were a wealthy family and had been around for a long time. Nowhere near the Blacks or the Potters in longevity, but close enough. Regulus always found it ridiculous that the Potters weren't sacred twenty-eight (though that would have made it the twenty-nine) as they were a pureblood family almost as old as the Blacks. It was only their outspoken view on muggles and the fact that Cantankerous Nott had been insulted by Fleamont Potter's avid rejection of his sister that had removed them from being eligible. 

Gold glinted all over the vault, piles of coins stacked high and various valuable items were presented in a far more scattered manner than Regulus would have liked. He couldn't help but think that the Blacks would never have such a messy vault. The disdain on Grandfather's face and the sneer curling at Sirius' lip showed they were likely having similar thoughts.

"Look for the dagger boys. I'm certain she will have put it somewhere harder to find." Grandfather said, looking around the room. He gestured for Sirius to move closer to the weaponry while Regulus started looking through the various drawers and cupboards along one wall. Grandfather himself had begun to slowly approach the large collection of gold items and Regulus wished he could join. Chances were the Horcrux was somewhere over there. She would have wanted it to be distinct but easily hidden among similar items and a dodgy drawer with a blood stained arrow tip wasn't the place.

Regulus wrinkled his nose as he closed another cupboard, ignoring the jar inside that held a severed hand in some kind of potion. He'd been searching for a short time but he was sure at least half of their ten minutes was up, yet they didn't seem any closer to finding it. Sirius was grunting every so often, putting his muscles to work as he shoved through a large collection of golden candlesticks and trophies. _It truly was a mess in here_ , he thought derisively.

"Oh." Grandfather made a soft noise. Quiet enough that the nosy Goblins wouldn't have heard, but loud enough that he and Sirius carefully began to move closer to him.

Sirius brought over a large knife, "Is this it, do you think?"

Regulus jumped at the chance, thankful for his brother's quick thinking. "Grandfather?" He asked quietly, sharing a look with Sirius before they both turned to him.

The man hummed, he picked up the knife and began to thoroughly examine it. He held it up to the light and began to slowly turn it, letting the point stay fixed in one spot. He felt Sirius tense and tried to follow the point of the knife, matching Sirius' stance when he saw it.

Upon a high shelf was the cup of Helga Hufflepuff.

For, there was no mistaking it's magnificence. It glinted beautifully and he wondered how it had taken them so long to find it. Now that he'd seen it, he couldn't imagine he had been able to overlook such majesty. It was sparkling and the gold used to craft it looked as if it was still boiling slowly, like the gold would coat ones fingers and you would be doused in the mystical, unearthly aura like a second skin. The cup was simply _enchanting._

In more ways than one and he felt that same spark of anger that Tom Riddle had dared to deface such a beautiful thing with his vileness. It was probably heightened due to the Horcruxes influence and he saw Sirius' expression shutter, darkening in the way it had when the diary had been exposed to him. Grandfather carefully pulled out the replica they'd created by using detailed accounts and pictures of varying quality. 

Sirius coughed, eyes seeming to gain focus, "It could be it. Doesn't feel coated in the blood of muggles though, so I'm not sure."

"I do not believe this is it. We should keep looking. Regulus, did you check by those racks of spears? She may have hidden it in the armoire beside it." Regulus turned at his Grandfather's words and inwardly smirked. He nodded carefully and moved to the armoire, he made a grand show of opening the door and letting it slam open fast enough that it knocked into the rack.

Regulus gasped, he hurriedly bent to pick up a spear, "Stupid, stupid." He muttered to himself, inwardly grinning when he heard the Goblins snicker and mutter about useless wizards. He jerked the spear roughly, pretending it was caught on the rack and squeaked when he knocked a large trophy off of a table, the trophy clattered to the floor and he nudged a small stack of books and watched them fall to the floor noisily.

The Goblins outside continued to snicker, nastily grinning and Regulus saw them whispering to each other at his plight. "Bloody hell, Regulus! How hard is it to pick up a-" A large collection of silverware clattered to the floor. "Oops."

Regulus pressed his lips together to stop from laughing. Sirius had only done that for fun, there was no need for him to make himself look like an idiot too. He groaned, "Idiot! Pick that up!"

"Says you! Can't even open a bloody cupboard door without causing a mess." His words held an edge and Regulus inwardly cursed. Sirius was closer to the Horcrux and it was starting to effect him, "Just the norm for you, eh?"

Regulus tensed. _Don't let it effect you. Sirius doesn't mean it._

He turned and continued with his task, continuing to make a racket as he covered for whatever Grandfather had planned. Sirius continued to grumble, making snide comments every so often, "Always so dramatic. Can't do anything without needing someone to hold his hand."

The Goblins seemed to enjoy it, especially because as much as he tried not to, his brother's words hurt. He knew full well Sirius didn't mean this, possibly didn't even think the words were _partially_ true, but it still hurt to hear them from his brother's mouth. In fact, Regulus was almost certain that Sirius did not mean these words he spat, for he himself had been ready to beat Kreacher senseless the first time he'd been exposed to a Horcrux and he would never do such a thing.

"Useless little-"

"Ah!" Grandfather interrupted, brandishing a small dagger that looked almost the same as Aunt Elladora's dagger. "Found it!"

Sirius blinked a few times, frowning heavily. "Wait-"

Regulus hurried over to him and linked his arm around his brother's. "Come on Sirius." 

As they got to the entrance, Grandfather flicked his wand to right everything back to it's original place. Regulus didn't dare glance over to the wall the Horcrux had been but he couldn't tell if Grandfather had managed to get the cup. His teeth were clenched, biting the sides of his tongue as he tried to keep his face neutral. This was the hard part.

"Well done, wizards. You had thirty seconds remaining." Bogrod's companion said viciously, "It's a shame you couldn't become a permanent resident."

Bogrod grinned, "Perhaps they could."

Grandfather narrowed his eyes, "I believe we will be leaving now." He slowly reached a hand into his jacket and Regulus carefully drew his wand.

Bogrod glared at him, "I don't think so. You'll be handing over whatever you stole." He aimed his spear at them, pointing it directly at Regulus' heart. "Or else you, _boy,_ will-"

 _"Imperio!"_ Sirius hissed. Regulus jerked and watched as Grandfather hurriedly did the same to the other Goblin. "You will take us out of this hole and up to the carts."

There was that awful bite to Sirius' words and Regulus swallowed. Sirius didn't look like himself. His jaw was tensed and his eyes were wild, a crazed glint he so often saw in Bellatrix shining as he used the Unforgiveable so easily. Regulus swallowed again, a lump forming in his throat as he watched Sirius guide the Goblin with his words.

The Goblin didn't even hesitate and Regulus wondered at just how _strong_ Sirius' Imperius was. If he was able to cast it that efficiently at such a young age, presumably on his first try, Regulus didn't know what that could mean. Nor did he want to.

Bogrod and his companion quickly set to work, not pausing for a second as they locked up the vault and escorted them onto carriage, starting their journey back up to the main bank. Sirius kept his wand raised, arm lazily aloft but his jaw was still clenched. Grandfather looked unsure, glancing at Sirius slightly worriedly before sending a more reassuring look at Regulus who couldn't think properly. 

His body was still and uncomfortable. He felt _wrong._ This whole thing felt off. Sirius wasn't supposed to be like this and maybe it was his earlier words getting to him, but Regulus wanted to throw a small tantrum or break down and cry. This was too overwhelming.

Sirius was still rigid as they came to a stop, "You will not remember this. You will tell nobody what you saw, heard or even suspected happened. You will remember us leaving and you will happily go about the rest of your day. When you go to sleep tonight you will not remember this day."

Grandfather repeated his instructions to the other Goblin, watching as the two wandered off in that odd daze the Imperius put it's victims in. "Let us depart."

Sirius nodded once and quickly follow Grandfather. Regulus swallowed and refused to think about the fact that Sirius was now allowing Grandfather to be in the front and leaving Regulus at the back, _unguarded._

The trio quickly exited the bank and stood at the very top of the stairs, carefully descending them and the moment they were past the anti-apparition boundary of Gringotts, Grandfather gripped them both tightly and apparated them to the Manor. They appeared directly outside Grandfathers study and the moment they arrived Sirius stormed away. He didn't spare either of them a glance beyond giving Grandfather a cursory nod. He continued down the hall, body tense and gait angry as he turned the corner, disappearing from view.

Regulus turned wide eyes upon his Grandfather who looked down at him sadly. 

What had just happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooo!! This was fun to write. I hope you all enjoyed! Sirius is starting to get Darker still and is struggling mentally as he's not letting anyone help him.. as one brother gets better the other starts to decline.. oh no.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! <3 I did some research for the Runes but I don't completely understand them so please be lenient!!


	24. The Tantrum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius has a tantrum, Regulus is exasperated, House-Elves are great and Arcturus is cool.

_Angry._

It was the only thing Sirius could feel.

He just felt so _angry._

His whole body was tense, coiled like a viper and ready to strike; ready to inject his venom into his prey and watch them writhe in pain. The need to curl around his victim and strangle them with his body ate at him and he desperately tried to shake it off.

Sirius' whole body trembled as he finally reached his room. He kicked off his shoes and ripped his cloak off. It was only mid-morning and far too early to sleep but Sirius just wanted to curl into a ball and forget this day ever happened.

The lingering need to _hurt,_ to _maim,_ to _kill_ overwhelmed him and he screamed, throwing the paperweight off of the desk at the wall and watching it shatter on impact, glass raining to the ground. He screamed again, a broken noise as he kicked out at the chair by the desk, stamping on the wood and the cushion, grinding it into the floor. Punching the wall, he ripped an old portrait of a moving ship off of the wall and threw it across the room with a broken sob.

When Grandfather had first shown the Horcrux, he'd been ecstatic. He could remember seeing Regulus' eyes light up before he had the brilliant idea to cause a ruckus to distract the Goblins. Sirius had even happily played along but then-

Then...

It was like he'd gone blank.

He'd been filled with an overwhelming need to hurt everyone around him. A voice had whispered in his ear, soft and seductive, telling him everything he didn't want to hear but had feared desperately.

The voice told him how Grandfather was only using him for his own gain, to save his own skin. It had continued to inform him of how James was sick of him and his secrets. It had crooned about little Peter Pettigrew, bemoaning his weakness and how he was going to betray him one day. The voice then mentioned Remus, how he was going to steal Regulus and turn him against him; how he still hated him for the prank on Snape and he was getting vengeance by taking Regulus away.

_Regulus._

The voice hadn't spared him either. Whispering quickly, harshly about how he had sided with Walburga all those years and _didn't Sirius want payback_? Sirius had come back to himself slightly there, _no, I'd never hurt Regulus_ \- but the voice changed tactics. It wanted him to know that Regulus was better off without him. Told him softly that Sirius was a useless big brother, _just look at Regulus' body, covered in scars because of Sirius and his utter failure to keep him safe_.

Then... it was gone.

The voice disappeared and suddenly Regulus was beside him, clinging to him with that desperate look in his eyes. He hadn't focused on Grandfather, the remnants of the voice and the misplaced rage it filled him with had been at the front of his mind. Sirius had been too disorientated to use his occlumency and he could only focus on the fact that suddenly that _fucking_ Goblin, the treacherous little creature had a spear pointed right at Regulus and-

He'd used an Unforgiveable.

Sirius hadn't even hesitated. He'd just been so angry, so desperate to seek revenge somehow, somewhere.. _someone_ needed to _suffer._ He hadn't thought twice about that Goblin, he'd only just managed to hiss _Imperio_ instead of _Crucio,_ wanting to make the wretched thing scream but he couldn't compromise the mission.

The Imperius would make more sense anyway. The Cruciatus would distress Regulus and he couldn't allow such a thing. With the Imperius, he'd been able to guarantee that they would be safe. His Imperius didn't falter. He was too determined to get them all to safety.

Sirius ground his teeth as he kicked over the bedside table and knocked the coatrack to the floor. Regulus had looked so scared. He must hate him. The frightened look his brother gave him made Sirius feel sick but had ignored it, he wouldn't stick around to get yelled at or guilt-tripped.

Because that was the worst part. Sirius didn't regret what he'd done. He thought he would and when he'd seen the fear in his brother's eyes he had, for a split second. But then he remembered the risks, the _mission._ If they didn't get out they could lose the Horcrux. The Goblins could have raised the alarm and then all three of them would have been in danger.

He didn't care much for himself and he knew Grandfather had lived a long life, he'd be able to rest easy with Melania. But Regulus...

Sirius hadn't cared about the possible damage to his soul. It was a necessity and he didn't regret it. It was one thing to warn the other Marauders, to say they'd have to do things they may later regret but such is war.

But to actually do something considered literally Unforgiveable and yet feel no remorse.. was odd.

A soft knock came from the door and Sirius tensed. Grandfather wouldn't knock, not in his own home. An elf would just apparate in and keep a shield up, not caring about the danger. That only left his brother.

"Siri?" His tone sounded so cautious and Sirius felt that overwhelming anger fill him. _I'm not going to hurt you, I'm not Mother_. "I- I know you won't listen to reason right now. You never do when you're angry. You- You've always been quick to anger and I think- no, I know it was the Horcrux. Okay? I don't blame you, I really don't-"

Sirius stormed over and ripped the door open. If he wanted to say this, he'd say it to his face. Regulus was shuffling slightly in place, hands twisting and he jerked his head up when Sirius opened the door. 

"Before you say anything, let me talk!" Regulus insisted, eyes steeling over and he shoved past Sirius into the slightly destroyed bedroom. "Oh you and your temper tantrums." He tutted.

"You-"

"Shut up!" Sirius felt an odd brush against his mouth and tried to speak only to feel his lips were welded shut. He glared fiercely down at Regulus who raised his chin defiantly. "You will listen to me." He said, putting a hand out. "Wand." The prim tone to his voice was hard as steel.

Sirius scowled. He was tempted to keep his wand or put up more of a fight but he daren't duel with his brother now. Not when he was so dangerously unstable and teetering on the edge of doing something that he truly would _never_ forgive himself for. Warily, he handed the wand over and Regulus rapidly fired off a serious of what looked like household charms and spells.

"Just to clean your wand. Bet you didn't even think to do that, did you?" He sniped, "Too busy throwing a tantrum and breaking things."

Sirius scowled again and glared at Regulus. He made a wide gesture to motion him to say what he wanted so Sirius could sleep.

Regulus wrinkled his nose, "I have no idea what you're trying to say. Sit." He waved his wand and the previously broken chair was repaired. Sirius stood stubbornly and felt a weight drag him into the chair. "Don't be a brat. That's my thing." Regulus chided.

Sirius stared at his brother. Regulus perched himself on the rectangular ottoman at the end of his bed, crossing his ankles and folding his arms. He peered at Sirius for a moment, scrutinising him before he clicked his tongue.

"You are _such_ an idiot."

Sirius cringed slightly. This was it. He may not regret it but he knew Regulus was upset. He'd seen the terror, he knew what his brother was probably thinking. The voice was right, he was useless, weak, he'd abandoned Regulus and his friends all knew-

"Stop it!" Regulus hissed. "I can see it in your eyes! That foul thing spoke to you, didn't it?"

Sirius blinked, sending a questioning gaze at his brother. How did he know?

"You truly are a fool. Did you forget that I happened to tackle a Horcrux completely alone?" Regulus hissed, "Did you forget that I had to ingest a potion that made me hallucinate, bringing all of my biggest fears into reality? Did you somehow manage to forget," He panted slightly, hands trembling as he hugged himself tighter. "That I saw _you?_ That I saw you spitting out all of the nastiest things I've ever thought about myself? Things I wished I'd never hear aloud, let alone from _you!"_

Sirius startled. He had, somehow. Regulus had been through so much but he was still so fierce, it was hard to picture the horrors he'd been through.

"I've always admired you. Y'know?" Regulus whispered. "You were always so courageous, so valiant and bold. Whenever Mother tried to break you, you'd get right back up and show her you were _unbreakable._ Indestructible, even. You taught me how to believe in myself, how to do the right thing." Regulus' chin wobbled. "I can only imagine what the Horcrux said to you. I'm assuming it went after your biggest fears. Could you tell me what it said?"

He felt that same brush against his mouth and he ran his tongue across his teeth. Sirius didn't want to say anything, but Regulus looked so vulnerable it was hard to deny him.

"It told me everything I already knew. You're so strong, Reggie. You've dealt with three Horcruxes and you're still standing! You almost died and yet you're here, breathing and kicking my arse." Shaking his head, he continued, "I try. I try so hard to be a good big brother. To be there for you. But you don't need me." He choked. "You don't need me anymore."

Regulus' eyes filled with tears, "How could you say that?"

"It's true! You don't need me anymore. Look at you, little one! So brave, so fearless.. so _dauntless._ I'm more and more proud of you everyday! You prove to me everyday that you don't need your annoying big brother hanging off of you. I've done all I could - I wasted so fucking long-" He shook his head, tears dripping down his cheeks. "I abandoned you. It's no wonder you're so strong, you had to be to-"

"Don't you dare! How could you even- where do you think I got it from, huh?" Regulus cried, body shaking. "I'll tell you. From _you!_ I learned it by watching you! Do you think I got it from Walburga? From _Orion?_ The useless lump that he is?"

"That's-"

"I'll answer for you, _no!_ I watched you, day after day, head held high as you took every beating Mother gave you. I watched you get back up, body shaking and blood dripping from your fingertips and saw you refuse to bow to her wishes. Even when you were spitting up blood or in so much agony you could barely move. It was _you_ that taught me to think for myself. To never let anyone dictate my life for me and I did it anyway. I was weak, I bent to her wishes-" He raised a hand when Sirius went to interrupt. "But it was _you,_ you and your belief in me that _anyone_ can be good. That your actions of your past don't always have to define you. That we have lightness and darkness inside of us, but who we really are depends on what we choose to act on." Regulus whispered, _"You_ taught me that."

Sirius shook his head, "That was all you, Reg. You're so much more than she ever thought."

"And so are you! I'm sick of you acting like I'm some angel, I'm not! I fucked up, I screwed up way worse than you ever have!" He ripped up his sleeved, showing the scarred remnants of the Dark Mark. "You see this? This alone is worse than everything you've ever done! I joined that psychopath as willingly as I could have and then I practically waltzed to my own death because I was too scared of the repercussions of my actions!"

"You-"

"And _yet!_ You have the _audacity_ to sit here and feel sorry for yourself as if you aren't the _best_ thing to ever happen to me? Do you know where I'd be if I were an only child? I'd probably be right beside Bella, torturing muggles and spitting on muggleborns!" Regulus cried, "You're _so much more_ to me than you could ever know, so don't you dare act like I don't love every bit of you. Don't you dare act like this one instance is enough to make me turn my back on you. It's quite frankly _insulting."_

Sirius gaped slightly. That cold yet fiery rage evaporated as he stared at Regulus through teary eyes. He'd always thought about what Regulus meant to him, but he'd never really thought of it the other way around. Sirius himself knew that Regulus was a shining light for him in Grimmauld Place, he hadn't thought that Regulus felt the same about him.

"I know why you did it, Siri." Regulus whispered. "I know exactly what it's like when that voice is whispering in your ear, gripping your insecurities and telling you what to do. Mere seconds around a Horcrux makes you feel utterly vile, I _know_ that."

Sirius shook his head, "I did it because I had to. I knew-"

"It was the only way out of the bank with our lives in tact, I know Sirius." Regulus assured, "I _know_ that. Yes, I was scared. But I wasn't scared about what you'd done and I certainly wasn't scared _of_ you."

"You looked terrified." Sirius whispered.

"Because I was! I was scared _for_ you." Regulus insisted. "I was terrified that you'd been infected by that fucking cup! And I was right! But it isn't permanent, Siri. I remember what it felt like the first time with the locket. Bloody hell, yesterday I was ready to break your nose for insulting my map because of the diary whispering to me! So don't act like I don't get it."

Sirius frowned, "I didn't insult your map."

"You questioned if it worked when you saw the Horcrux in Hogwarts." Regulus sniffled, looking slightly cheery. "Arsehole."

Sirius felt his lips quirk slightly. "I'm so sorry, Reg."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I told you that. You don't regret what you did, do you?" Sirius shook his head, "Good. So stop apologising. Yes, you probably shouldn't make it a habit to resort to Unforgiveables, but it's hardly like a stunning spell would have worked. And if we'd engaged in some kind of battle or let the Goblins get the cup, we'd be ruined. The whole mission would have been doomed to fail."

"You really don't.." He trailed off uncertainly. "You aren't scared of me?" His voice was feeble. A fragility he rarely allowed himself to show had overtaken him for the moment.

Regulus snorted. "Sirius, I love you, but that's the stupidest thing you've ever said." He smiled softly at him, "You could never scare me. Never."

Sirius felt warm inside. He didn't know how he could have doubted Regulus. He suddenly frowned slightly.

"It's the Horcrux." Regulus said gently, leaning over to reach a hand out to him, resting on his knee. "It messes with your mind. Voldemort is no innocent child, he's a murderer, a psychopath, a bloody Dark Lord. His soul isn't exactly clean. It's filthy and vile and it infects you just by being near it. You aren't weak for falling under it's spell, even for a moment."

"Nobody else-"

"Nope. Don't even start. Grandfather said he'd been ready to slit both of our throats and use our blood in a ritual to bring Grandmother back." Regulus stated.

Sirius gaped, he looked at Regulus with wide eyes. "What?"

"We had a small talk. He wants both of us in his office when you've calmed down, by the way, just to regroup. We have to discuss everything. But, yes. The Horcruxes affect him too. It was only the fact that our occlumency shields were dampening the effects that we didn't fall to them."

Sirius frowned, "But surely if my occlumency had worked-"

"It did." Regulus insisted, "Trust me. If the Horcrux had been at full power you'd probably have blown up the vault."

Sirius shrugged, "I don't know about that. But, whatever. I guess you would know better than I would." He said distastefully. He hated the fact that Regulus had such intimate knowledge of these vile things. "I don't regret what I did but... I swear a part of me wasn't myself for a moment."

"It wasn't." Regulus said simply, "The Horcrux was trying to influence you into doing something stupid. Likely so it could control you and eventually take over your body. Then we'd have Voldemort's soul mingling with yours and you'd be like Voldemort's son or something."

Sirius wrinkled his nose, "Nasty. Though, I'm sure Bella would happily offer up her womb."

Regulus threw a stinging hex at him, cheeks pink, "What is with you and mentioning- _that,_ so casually?"

"Ah, innocent little brother. Don't ever change." He grinned softly. It was said as a joke but he honestly meant it. When Regulus had made it seem like he'd been _turned on_ by topless boys he'd been ready to cry. The thought of Regulus doing anything like that made him cringe and want to punch whoever dared touch his brother. If he and Remus ever did get together he'd probably hex the werewolf's genitals off just to be safe.

Or perhaps he should look into buying a chastity belt for him. Just to be safe.

Regulus looked at him shrewdly, "Are you okay now? I don't mean about whatever's been bothering you for the past couple months-" Sirius spluttered at this but Regulus only waved a hand and continued, "Yes, yes. I'm not blind. Anyway, I meant about today. I will always need you, Siri. You're my stupid, annoying, foolish big brother but I don't think I'd last a day without you." He admitted, blushing slightly.

Sirius grinned, a slight smug twist to his lips but he felt filled with pride. "Do you mean it? 'Cause.. I've sort of been worrying about that a lot."

"Oh, so you truly are an imbecile." Regulus rolled his eyes. "Yes, you utter dunce. Just because I'm getting older doesn't mean I don't need you. Do people stop needing their parents because they grew up?"

The two shared slightly blank looks.

"Okay, not a good analogy for us." Regulus admitted, "Will you suddenly stop needing James or R-Remus in your life because you've graduated Hogwarts?" Sirius chose to ignore the way Regulus stammered over Remus' name, thinking on what he'd said.

He shook his head, "No. No way. Marauders for life." He said solemnly and Regulus snorted at his words. "That includes you!"

"I know." Regulus said cheekily, "Now can we go to Grandfather? He's probably worn a hole in the floorboards from his pacing."

Sirius snorted, jumping to his feet. He snapped his fingers and Kreacher appeared. Resisting the childhood urge to punt the elf as far as he could, he smiled thinly. "Hello Kreacher."

Regulus grinned, "Kreacher!"

"Master calls Kreacher." Kreacher grumbled, he was looking at Sirius warily, probably lamenting the fact that he'd answered his call. With ears wiggling in pleasure, he turned to Regulus in surprise. "Oh! Master Regulus is here!"

Regulus beamed, dropping to his knees beside the elf and cuddling the thing. Gross. "Hello old friend. I've missed you! How was yesterday, I know we spoke in the evening but I just wish to make sure you're okay. Those things are foul."

Kreacher nodded mournfully, "Nasty magics be hurting Master Regulus. Not be hurting Kreacher. Do not worry Master." Kreacher matched Regulus' smile and patted the boy on his back. "Such a kind Master, Kreacher does not deserve-"

"Yes, hello Kreachy. Nice to see you too, old boy." Sirius grinned. The elf looked up at him with the same uncertain dislike and Sirius rolled his eyes, "Come on Kreacher. Aren't we passed this? Would you like a kiss so we can-"

"No Master!" Kreacher cried. You'd think he offered to give him _clothes_ he looked so appalled. "Kreacher be okay. How Kreacher may be of service, Master?" The elf asked politely and Sirius inwardly cackled. A year ago, he'd have likely rubbed the elf's face in it. But he could admit he'd been horribly cruel to the poor elf and although there'd probably always be some animosity there, he _had_ largely let it go.

Besides, Regulus liked the thing and he was currently staring Sirius down while fingering his wand, so best to tread carefully.

"Could you fix up the room? Had a bit of an outburst." The elf looked ready to say something disparaging and Sirius smirked slightly, "We were at Gringotts, you see. One of the Goblins pointed a spear right at Regulus and I got a little upset. Had to do some bad things but I'm sure you understand Kreacher." Keeping a light, innocence to his tone, he smiled winningly.

Regulus glared at him fiercely, eyes promising pain as Kreacher shrieked and began fluttering nervously around Regulus. "I'm okay Kreacher, I promise!"

"Oh those nasty, _nasty_ beasts. Filthy, disgusting brutes not fit to lick Master Regulus' boots!" He whirled around to face Sirius, giving him a keen stare. "Master be protecting little Master?"

Regulus spluttered at this form of address and Sirius nodded cleanly, "Yes. I had to use some uh, _illegal_ magics, but you understand, don't you?"

Kreacher grinned viciously, likely picturing some form of physical torture that would make Walburga proud. "Oh yes. Kreacher understands Master. Would Master like Kreacher to draw him a bath?"

Sirius tilted his head, "Sure. Thank you Kreacher. I'd say do the same for Reggie but.. best not to. Could you whip up something nice for lunch though? I know Regulus has been craving Italian."

"How did you-" Regulus started, eyes wide.

"The way you reacted to that little trattoria in Diagon Alley today." He grinned, "Looked ready to abandon the mission and steal one of their plates."

Regulus huffed, "It smelled _delicious._ Thank you, Kreacher. If you could-"

"Kreacher will do anything for Master Regulus!"

The smaller boy smiled, patting his little friend on the head. "I've missed you dearly, Kreacher. I'm glad to be back."

Kreacher preened, "Kreacher be happy to serve Master, always! Kreacher even does not mind Master Regulus' brother, oh no."

Sirius blinked but shrugged it off. That was high praise considering Kreacher used to call him a filthy blood-traitor that broke his brothers heart. He winced, it wasn't untrue.

Kreacher popped out of sight after Regulus kissed his cheek, practically giddy after seeing the boy. Sirius snorted, "Let's not tell Moony he's got competition."

Regulus scowled at him, "Shut up." But Sirius wasn't fooled, his nose was slightly in the air and he refused to meet Sirius' eyes. Regulus sniffed, "Let's go to Grandfather."

Sirius let it go and smiled, linking his arm in his brother's. He was glad he had listened to Regulus. There was a distinct warmth he only felt around his brother from listening to his words. He'd marvelled at Regulus' strong will for months and to hear that Regulus had supposedly been inspired by him?

Honestly Sirius didn't really see himself that way. He'd once heard Regulus admit that Sirius was his hero, that Sirius was like the superheroes in the muggle comics Remus showed them once. Sirius hadn't understood and he only felt slightly more understanding now. He couldn't fathom being a hero to someone. Not truly. As prideful as he may be, he didn't think that highly of himself.

Although he hadn't let Walburga's words get to him too much, there was only so much one person could take. Being constantly told he was a disappointment and a stain on their family's good name had done things to him and only recently had he been able to admit that.

For years he'd always laughed it off. Ignored her words and shrugged off the desolate feeling it left him with. But now he knew he couldn't do that. He could have turned into a real hazard today. He could have endangered the mission or brought misfortune on his little brother by being so distracted. Sirius resolved himself to speaking properly with Regulus, maybe then he could speak to the Marauders and tell them what has been going on since Regulus first fainted in October.

"Siri?" Regulus whispered as they stood outside the door. Sirius smiled and nodded, taking a step forward and knocking on the door.

"Enter." Grandfather's voice was as even as ever and Sirius was thankful for it. "Hello, Sirius. Are you quite done?"

Sirius felt slightly abashed, "Yes Grandfather. I apologise my Lord. I endangered the mission-"

"Oh do be quiet." Grandfather rolled his eyes. He picked up a small black bag and laid it on his desk. "As you can see, the mission was successful."

Sirius gaped, "You _got_ it?"

"Did you think we just left for no reason?" Regulus snorted but he could see the relief in the boy's eyes. His shoulders slumped and Sirius tugged a lock of his hair to make him scowl. 

"But how did you do it?" Sirius asked, slightly awed.

Grandfather shifted slightly. "Blood is important. When casting such magics, blood is almost always used as a bind for the spells. Else, how will the caster protect themselves from their own creation?"

Sirius nodded, "Like Abraxas and his ugly office."

"It wasn't too bad. Nowhere near as gaudy as that Goblin's." Regulus sneered. Sirius conceded to that point, Ragnok's office had taken ostentatious to the extremes.

Grandfather cleared his throat and raised a small crystal vial. It was stained slightly with a faded, crimson liquid and Sirius' eyes widened. "I managed to drip some of Bellatrix's blood on the cup. It recognised my familial connection and allowed me to pick up the cup and quickly store it in the bag. If I'd have been a mere second later, however, the curses would have been activated. In fact-" He raised his arm showing a ghastly red scorch mark across his wrist.

Regulus hissed, "How on Earth-"

"When I was placing the cup into the bag. The rim of the cup was pressed against my wrist and I felt the base heating up. I dropped it in shortly after but as you can see, it was only luck and good timing that saved us. Truly, mere seconds later.." He trailed off.

Regulus fidgeted and Grandfather raised a brow at him. "Don't you think you should heal it, my Lord?"

Grandfather waved his uninjured hand, "It will be fine. I'll have an elf take care of it later." Sirius frowned and he noticed the petulant scowl on Regulus' face as he stared at their Paterfamilias. "Oh you two, just as stubborn as-" He snapped his fingers and an elf appeared, "Your best advice?" Grandfather asked, lowering his wrist to the elf.

The elf stared critically before glaring up at Grandfather. "Master should not have left it so long! Master should have called for Hoppy!" The elf - Hoppy - chided, snapping his little fingers and immediately applying the thick paste to Grandfather's wrist. "Stubborn old Blacks!" He cried.

Sirius snickered and the elf snapped his eyes up to meet him, "Uh-"

"You is just as bad! Little Master's just as stubborn! Making messes and getting hurt!" Sirius frowned at the little elf that had suddenly stomped over to him. His hands were grasped in the elf's little fingers as he prodded at his knuckles. Sirius hissed and tried to pull away, "See! Bad Master!"

Regulus snorted from beside him and he turned to face him. He glared at his little brother's amusement and thinking quickly, he cried, "Regulus hasn't been taking his nutrition potions!" It wasn't a certainty, but he had his suspicions. The panicked look on his brother's face before he turned to glare at him proved him right.

His brother gave a noisy gasp of shock. With a look of utmost betrayal, Regulus hissed, _"You-"_

"Bad, _bad_ Littlest Master! Hoppy be telling Kreacher, yes he will!" Hoppy nodded furiously and Regulus choked.

"You wouldn't!" He cried.

Hoppy glared at Sirius instead, "Why you not be telling Hoppy sooner?"

Sirius winced, Grandfather was frowning at him too and he cleared his throat, "See, I didn't actually know for sure. It was more of a guess because Reg still gets tired easily and he was stumbling yesterday after we went flying."

"You should have come to me with your suspicions, Sirius." Grandfather chided softly, "Regulus, is this true?" The cadence of his voice was gentle but stern, lies would not be accepted.

Regulus grimaced, "Sort of. It's not that I don't take them it's just sometimes I forget. And the same for my supplement potions! I was really good at taking them a couple months ago but I've been so busy lately with studying and I actually have more friends now so-"

Grandfather cut off his ramblings with a stern look. Sirius blanched when the look was then turned on him, "You will make sure he continues to take them. Regulus, you can not afford to forget your potions. You're much too physically weak, not only for your age group but for the amount of physical activity you get up to. If you do not, you will not be allowed to do anything more concerning the Horcruxes."

Regulus gaped, "What! But- But I have to!"

"Then you will take your potions as prescribed. Or else I'll tell Kreacher and have him follow you around all day." Grandfather warned.

Regulus scowled petulantly, "I don't know that you don't _already_ have him doing that."

Grandfather only gave a blank look and turned to Hoppy. "Are we up to standard?"

The elf huffed, crossing his little arms. "Mistress would not be happy! Mistress would be very angry, oh yes she would. She would smack Master and give Little Master and Littlest Master a big telling off, yes she would!"

Grandfather smiled sadly, "She certainly would."

Sirius frowned inwardly. He missed Grandmother dearly but he would never be able to truly comprehend the way Grandfather grieved for her. When he'd brought that up with Regulus his brother had only quietly said he wished he never would. Which Sirius could understand. Grandfather always held this aura of melancholy, wistfully looking to his left side every now and then as if expecting to see his beloved. Even still, after a decade.

Hoppy only clicked his tongue and continued to heal the scrapes on Sirius' fingers. He eyed Regulus carefully and scowled at the boy after poking at his ribs, "Littlest Master is far too small. Hoppy be telling Kreacher to make big meals from now on!"

Regulus spluttered, "I couldn't possibly-"

"Hoppy will makes sure Potter elves be knowing this. Hoppy not be letting Littlest Master go hungry, oh no!" Hoppy muttered to himself as he snapped his fingers and presented the potion to Regulus. "Drink!"

After huffing once, Regulus downed the potion. "Happy?"

Hoppy nodded once, "You be taking these three times a day for a week. Hoppy will be watching!" He threatened. Ignoring Regulus' indignance, he turned to Grandfather and bowed once. "Master be okay. Keep putting paste on for five days, will be all gone!" 

Sirius peered over the elf to see Grandfather's arm covered in a bandage that the elf had snapped on. The elf said a terse goodbye, still muttering about small children and bad wizards not taking care of themselves. Sirius felt oddly charmed by the elf. Odd, as usually that was Regulus' thing.

"That elf." Grandfather chuckled, shaking his head. "Melania brought him from her home. He was her nanny elf and was the best at healing magic. He used to watch after you two when you were little."

Sirius blinked, "Really?"

"I thought that was Kreacher's job?" Regulus asked.

"It was. But whenever you were here, Hoppy took over. Although, Hoppy mainly looked after Sirius. Kreacher always has been more attached to young Regulus. Hoppy used to lament that he got the 'cheeky Master'." He smirked slightly at Sirius who flushed. "In fact, one day you were _literally_ cheeky. You refused to put on clothes and were running-"

"Okay! Let's talk about the nasty Goblins and the fact that they betrayed us." Sirius interjected. 

Regulus snickered at him before turning to Grandfather, "I helped talk him down from his proverbial ledge."

Grandfather nodded, looking much more solemn. "I would like to preface this by saying that I am proud of you, my Heir. You responded in kind to the Goblins threat. Nor did you hesitate to do what you must to protect the mission." He flicked his eyes to Regulus, giving away what he truly meant. "The cup is now ours and the Goblins were unable to raise the alarm. In fact, using the Imperius on them is a much safer way of ensuring the Goblins do as we ask. Perhaps I should revisit Ragnok."

Sirius shrugged insouciantly. "I don't think it really matters. The Goblins didn't seem like they were properly trying to betray us. That was odd right?"

Regulus tilted his head, "It _was_ odd." He agreed, "They could have certainly caused much more of a fuss. Instead, they tried to just ask for the cup. That's.. not normal practice."

"The Goblins are fierce in the protection of their clients. Although I gave the Goblins a grand boon, I do think it odd that they allowed us entry so easily." Grandfather added, "In fact, after thinking on it, I believe this was their plan from the start."

Sirius frowned, "What do you mean?" He paused, "Wait. Do you think they wanted the cup for themselves?"

Grandfather nodded in agreeance. "I do. They would have recognised the cup for what it was the moment Bellatrix brought it into the bank. A Founders item, no matter how badly it has been perverted, would be something they would not pass up."

"But if that's the case, why didn't they just steal it by themselves?" Sirius wondered.

Regulus shook his head, "They can't. They have agreements with all clients and with all wizards to remain neutral. They can look the other way and try to remain ignorant, but if the Goblins themselves were to try and demand the cup back or force their way into the vault, they'd void their treaty with wizards. It could lead to another war."

"Also, if they tried to force Bellatrix into handing it over or if she found out they'd stolen it, she'd gut them all. Even worse, it's a Horcrux so Voldemort would probably be on the front lines of any war the Goblins may stir up." Sirius added. 

"Do you think Ragnok knew?" Regulus asked Grandfather.

Grandfather sighed, "I am uncertain. He would not have informed all of the Goblins of this deal we made. There are far too many Goblins, all managing their own clients and their own part of the bank. However, Bogrod and his companion certainly knew. I believe they were hoping we would bring the cup out and then they could steal it. Goblin property and that." He waved a hand.

Sirius shook his head, "Little bastards. That's why they didn't raise an alarm. They'd have to answer questions that they didn't want to. I can't imagine the more higher ranking Goblins would be happy, no matter how lucrative a Founders item is. Stealing is abhorrent to the Goblins."

"I did think it was strange they allowed me entry so easily." Grandfather supplemented, "But what's done is done. Ragnok will not speak of this to anyone and the other two Goblins have had their minds altered. Truly, Sirius, you saved us all." He praised.

Sirius blushed slightly. Praise from Grandfather was always something he'd hold in high regard. It was just a step below praise from Regulus and his friends. 

"Thank you, Grandfather. I did what I felt was necessary."

"It was." Grandfather acknowledged, "No matter how unlikely they were to raise the alarm, those two Goblins could have seriously injured one of us. You worked quickly, Sirius." He commented, Grandfather then tilted his head curiously, "Was that your first time casting the Imperius?"

Sirius nodded, "Yes. I mean, I've seen it cast by others. And Mother used to cast it on me to try and get me to do what she wanted. But, yes, that's the first I've ever cast the curse personally. It's the first Unforgiveable I've ever cast." Mother had been so shocked when he'd quickly shaken off the curse. He meant it when he said he bowed to no one, and _nobody_ could make him.

Grandfather appraised him, "Truly magnificent work, then. As expected from my Heir." He commended.

Regulus grinned, "It was great, wasn't it? You didn't even waiver. Not for a second!"

Sirius refused to blush. He didn't like the fact that he'd had to control someone and use an Unforgiveable, but he did what was necessary. They would have botched the whole mission otherwise. Worse, one of them could have gotten hurt or even killed. Sirius _had_ to do it. 

"Well hopefully I won't have to do it again anytime soon. As fun as that whole thing was," He shuddered, "I'd love a nice easy Horcrux. Malfoy Manor was close and I supposed this one wasn't too bad. Nowhere near as bad as the cave, anyway. But can we just find the Hogwarts one in a nice cushy little classroom? Maybe by the kitchens so I can have a warm meal afterwards?" He whined.

Regulus rolled his eyes, looking slightly pale at the mention of the cave and he internally winced. His brother still couldn't go near any large body of water. It broke his heart every time they tried. They'd gotten him up to letting his feet be submerged in a small basin that James had thought up in the Room, but if the water moved even slightly he'd have a panic attack. Convinced, that the Inferi were trying to grab him again. The Marauders didn't know why Regulus was so scared of water, but they knew it was something very traumatic for him.

They hadn't even planned to tell them. In fact, they had only found out by accident when Peter had been thinking one day in the Room of Requirement, shortly before the Easter holidays. Apparently he'd been reminiscing on his family's recent holiday to the coast. He'd thought up a large pool and they'd all been excited to actually try and swim. At least, they _had_ been until Sirius remembered that Regulus had been napping, curled up in the corner with a Potions textbook in his lap. 

Regulus had startled awake at all of their awed gasping and he'd let out the most awful, heart-wrenching sound he'd ever heard. Regulus had immediately sent himself into a panic attack, gasping and trembling and clawing at his own arms trying to rip off the phantom Inferi. James had desperately tried to help, Peter had been shell-shocked and Remus had been trying to calm Regulus down.

James had managed to turn the Room back, bringing forward something considered 'Regulus' comfort room' and it had turned into an odd mixture of Sirius' childhood bedroom and the Marauders dorm. It was like the two had merged and James had only said that Regulus must be more comfortable with them than he'd thought.

Sirius had clung to Regulus whilst James figured everything out, whispering to Regulus that he was safe. He and Remus had sat close to the boy, trying to soothe his broken sobs while James gently cleaned the blood off of his hands. Remus had used muggle methods to clean the cuts and they'd all escorted Regulus to Madam Pomfrey who had sighed sadly and healed him.

"-rius? Sirius!" Regulus' call snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned back to them. Regulus was frowning at him while Grandfather merely looked impatient. "Finally. Where were you?"

"South of France." Sirius replied promptly.

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Ha ha. Very funny. Now, what's the plan for the rest of the holiday? Are we going after the Horcrux near the coast or..?"

"No." Grandfather shook his head, "I shall be looking in to the area first. I have a suspicion I would like to confirm. As for the Hogwarts Horcrux, that will be dealt with in time. You are both students until this June and Regulus will be there up until next year, we have plenty of time to scour the whole castle multiple times over."

Sirius huffed, "Still think the Marauders would have found it by now but, whatever." He mulishly mumbled.

"Well you have sorely been lacking a brain in your little group. Though I guess that's changed." Regulus sniffed, tilting his nose up.

Sirius smirked wickedly, "Oh? I think Moony might be offended by that." He delighted in the way Regulus startled and refused to meet his eye, pink dusting across his cheeks. "Maybe I should tell him that-"

"No!" Regulus cried, reaching a hand out to smack his shoulder. "Shut up, prat!"

"Oh Moony, how I wish to hold your hand while we bathe in the star light above-"

"Shut it!"

"Remus my lovely moonpie-"

"I'll get Kreacher to kiss you!"

"Oi! Runty little-!"

_"Boys."_

They froze.

Sirius had a hand grasping Regulus' wrist while somehow Regulus had managed to lodge a foot right by Sirius' hipbone and was pulling his hair. They shared startled looks and pulled apart, straightening themselves and smiling innocently and Grandfather.

"Do cease your shenanigans." He said tiredly, "The cup has been acquired. Rest for the remainder of the holidays. You would both do well to study, especially you Sirius. I shan't be bribing any Ministry officials to allow you to pass, I'm not a _Malfoy._ A Black succeeds on their own merit."

"Tell that to Father." Sirius muttered.

Grandfather looked as if he'd swallowed something terribly unpalatable. "Quite. I should amend that a _true_ Black succeeds on their own. Using familial connections for something as simple as an exam is terribly distasteful."

"Do not worry, Grandfather. I'll ensure Sirius studies." Regulus said primly, "He'll have no choice but to."

Sirius spared a look at Regulus, his tone had been oddly threatening and he was not looking forward to confronting what that meant. "Uh-"

"Else I won't be spending any time with him." The younger boy said blithely.

Sirius gaped, "I- I was going to study anyway! I always do!" He winced at their looks, "Well sort of. I mainly just go over my notes once or twice before the exam and do my best."

"You're naturally intelligent but studying will give you an extra boost." Regulus sniffed, "I shan't allow for you to embarrass me. You'll be needing top grades now that we're on good terms publicly."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "I've been in the top three of pretty much all my classes since I started. That's hardly going to change."

"Ensure it does not." Grandfather said, peering at him imperiously. "You are the Heir to this family. No Heir of mine will have forged records."

Regulus raised his chin, "You'll embarrass us all if you come out with Trolls. Make sure you get high grades."

Sirius scowled, "I have never even gotten below an Acceptable!" He insisted. "Not on the actual exams, anyway."

" _I've_ never gotten below an E." Regulus sniffed pompously, "And that was over two years ago. I've been getting straight O's ever since."

Sirius stuck his tongue out at Regulus but felt that same burst of pride he always did. He loved seeing Regulus so confident and his studies was an area he never failed to be sure of himself in. Sirius had never been quite up to par with Regulus intellectually and although he'd once been jealous, he knew he didn't need to be.

It's not like he wasn't smart. Far from it in fact, he truly was one of the best in his year. It was mainly his practical work that ensured that, however. He understood everything but sometimes putting his thoughts into words was hard and he struggled when it came to showing his knowledge without his wand. Often, he'd close his eyes and try to imagine himself in the scenarios presented to him. It was one of the most effective ways for him to study.

He wasn't a cerebral person, he needed action and real life experience.

"You're both brilliant students. I just wish to impress upon you the importance of these exams. The NEWTs are no easy feat. It is likely you may struggle with them more than you'd expect." Grandfather emphasised, "I'd also like you both to take care of yourselves. The amount of students in my year that had major breakdowns was sadly high. The NEWTs put a lot of pressure on you to do well and I do not wish for you to be studying too much." He sent a sharp look at Regulus who huffed.

"Not even doing my NEWTs yet." He pouted.

Sirius batted a hand at him, "Doesn't stop you studying non-stop. Grandfather's right. We'll help each other, okay? You'll make sure I actually pick up a book and I'll make sure you remember to put them down."

Regulus begrudgingly agreed. "Fine, fine." He turned to Grandfather, "Are we dismissed? I'd like a shower before lunch." He grimaced slightly at the mention of the water and Sirius frowned. He hated that Regulus struggled to do even basic tasks, all because of that monster and his fucking cave.

"You are both dismissed. Relax boys, you have both done exceedingly well. We have the third of five Horcruxes. This is excellent progress."

Regulus beamed, "That's true!"

"We're halfway! If, you know, you include Voldemort." Sirius added soberly. "Oh well, that fucker is going down." He grinned viciously before standing and bowing. Regulus did the same and the two departed. 

"I need a bloody bath. Those caverns..." Sirius muttered to himself. Regulus grimaced and Sirius winced, "Fuck, sorry-"

"No. It's fine. I want to shower too, I feel gross. Oh! You'd better thank Kreacher for cleaning up in here." Regulus said as he stopped just outside of Sirius' room. Sirius made a gesture and Regulus wrinkled his nose, "Crude. Bye, loser."

"Oi!" Sirius whirled around but Regulus had already skittered off, his door closing soundly. Sirius huffed and bypassed his repaired bedroom to enter the en-suite. He wasn't kidding, he felt gross and the fact that he'd been so close to a Horcrux only made him feel even more grimy.

It was like being coated in a thick tar or a toxic oily substance that coated you entirely. It usually left him feeling off kilter for a while and he had a feeling this time would be worse considering he'd let the Horcrux affect him more.

As Sirius climbed into the bath Kreacher prepared, he thought back to the day that Regulus had exposed his fear of water to the rest of their friends.

That night, Sirius had paid close attention to the Marauders. Remus had been just as clingy as Sirius was, fluttering around Regulus nervously and almost obsessively scenting him to make sure he was alright. James had clenched his jaw and assessed Regulus, then given Sirius a very strange nod. If Sirius didn't know James so well, he wouldn't have known what he meant. But that nod was James' final acceptance; his way of saying Regulus was his little brother too and that he'd look after him. 

Sirius had wanted to cry he was so thankful.

Peter had looked concerned but likely because it had been his fault. The mousy boy had also seemed rather put out that they hadn't been able to swim, giving Regulus grumpy looks for days as if Regulus was to blame for being traumatised. Sirius had given him a very angry glare and tersely explained to his three friends that Regulus had a bad experience once with swimming but he hadn't elaborated. Peter had continued to be sullen, glowering at Regulus.

It was only a matter of time before Sirius told them all anyway, he couldn't keep his thoughts bottled up any longer.

Grandfather had proven that to him. Retreating in on yourself and locking up your true thoughts just wasn't healthy. It only hurt those around you and even worse, it hurt yourself more than anything. Sirius resolved to bring it up with the Marauders; not only the truth of what they've been doing but the turmoil Sirius himself had been going through since Christmas.

Sirius wasn't sure about Peter though. He loved Wormtail, he really did. The Marauders were like his brothers. Remus and James were both more on his level and so he'd started to see Peter like a younger brother. Or perhaps a younger cousin. He'd never quite been able to see him as his _little_ brother or his _baby_ brother. That was reserved for Regulus.

James was certainly like his twin, his partner in crime and Remus was their long-suffering third. He didn't know what he'd do without them.

However, Regulus had made it clear that he did not trust Peter and refused to tell him anything.

Sirius didn't much like that. He hated the idea of purposefully leaving Peter out and it felt wrong to do so.

But then again, hadn't they been leaving Peter out for a while?

Subconsciously, of course. But he'd noticed a big change in the Marauders when he was in bed last night. He'd been going over the interactions between Regulus and Remus, trying to work out just how bloody dense he'd been.

(He'd been so disappointed in himself. It was as obvious as James' infatuation for Lily or Bellatrix's obsessive adoration of Voldemort. Sirius didn't know how he'd ever missed it.)

Sirius had also come to the realisation that the Marauders _had_ changed.

It used to be James and Sirius as the leaders, with Sirius usually deferring to James. Those two were almost always in the middle when they walked the halls together, the centre of attention and leaders of the group. Remus was like their advisor in a way. He was a weird mix of their exasperated older sibling and yet the younger brother they all wanted to protect because of his lycanthropy. Remus was always the one with a kind word or some sound advice, no matter how reluctant you may be to hear it. That left Peter as sort of the.. baby of the Marauders. He was the weakest of them all and they'd all looked at him like he _needed_ to be protected.

Which, honestly, he did.

If Sirius was honest with himself, he hadn't much liked Peter at first. He'd adored James instantly, finally feeling like he'd met someone that understood him and completed him in a way. Remus too had gained his favour quickly; the introspective, gentleness he exuded had reminded him so much of his baby brother at a time when he'd been desperately missing his sibling. When they'd actually became friends, the cheeky, sarcastic side to Remus had completely won him over and he'd been a close friend ever since.

But with Peter.. well.

He'd felt sorry for the boy, if anything. Three boys in the dorm all thick as thieves and one just in the corner on their own. It had been roughly a week of getting to know each other and then another week revelling in their new friendship. It wasn't until roughly the end of September or the beginning of October that Remus had quietly asked if Peter could _perhaps_ join them.

James and Sirius had shared a quick look. They didn't _dislike_ the boy, but they'd never felt like he fit. But, they both also knew Remus rarely asked anything of either of them and so they'd agreed, if anything to make Remus happy. They weren't certain if he'd even become a permanent part of their group, but they'd eventually acquiesced. At least they could say they'd _tried_ if it didn't work out.

It wasn't like he'd guilted his way into befriending them. It was more like they'd originally not really cared and by the time Sirius had started to wonder if Peter _really_ fit, they'd all been friends for close to a month. Sirius had shrugged it off anyway, clearly Peter fit and that was the end of that.

The introduction of Regulus to the group however, had changed things. They hadn't noticed it at first, but Sirius had begun to pay attention when Regulus casually mentioned that he knew Peter disliked him.

For Sirius, he just couldn't understand someone _not_ liking Regulus. Perhaps he was biased. No, he certainly was. But his brother was the best! Even James who had initially been jealous and bitter towards Regulus, had been won over. 

Regulus' presence in the group meant things had altered. They suddenly needed to accommodate another person and they'd adjusted accordingly.

No longer did Sirius and James walk in the middle, Peter and Remus flanking them. They always shifted to make sure that Regulus was in the centre; he was the new baby of the group and although he _definitely_ didn't need the protection the way Peter did, they all had an unspoken agreement to protect him anyway. Regulus always huffed when they did this, Remus would only send him an apologetic but unrelenting smile while Sirius and James would press closer to him, squishing him between them and making him send stinging hexes at them.

If anything, that proved he didn't need their coddling.

(But honestly, part of the reason they did it was to make him scowl.)

As for Peter, he'd not responded particularly pleasantly, but Sirius hadn't understood why.

Not until he'd began to think it through.

James adored having another Quidditch fan in the group and he and Regulus were both eager to train together, teasing each other and having competitions in the air frequently. Sirius had been glad for this, he liked Quidditch - loved it even - but he wasn't as obsessive as they were. He liked the game and he loved thrashing the other teams, but he didn't really care about techniques or league tables. That wasn't all that important to him. Though, he loved listening to the wireless with them, it was always so gory at the big games. _Wicked._

Remus ( _fucking hell Sirius is stupid_ ) apparently thought Regulus was as enchanting as the moon. He looked at Regulus and seemed to see just how special he was. They both stayed up for hours, talking about books, mythology and even different wizarding laws that they would discuss in detail. Sirius and James had sat, completely flummoxed, while they debated whether or not magic carpets should be legal, both bringing up random factoids and statistics from other countries. 

(They'd both huffed and left when James had said magic carpets should be legal because they were cool. Sirius didn't understand why, he completely agreed with James' point.)

Sirius simply adored having his baby brother back and hadn't let anyone forget it. He'd sometimes rush out of class early and wait at Regulus' classroom, happily cheering and throwing the boy over his shoulder before carting him off back to the Marauders while Regulus loudly threatened the safety of his nether regions. 

All of this combined had led to Peter being _demoted_ in a way. No longer was he the baby of the group, Regulus was the youngest by almost two years for Sirius! Nor was he the one being protected, that too was Regulus.

Regulus' presence had also meant they all paired off easier. When James wanted to talk Quidditch, he'd steal Regulus away to the pitch. When Sirius wanted some brotherly bonding, he'd drag Regulus either to the kitchens or to the Room. Or when Remus wanted some intellectual conversation or a study buddy, he'd meet with Regulus in the library.

At first, he'd felt bad. It meant they were leaving Wormtail out, which just wasn't okay. Peter was just as much of a Marauder as them and even though he'd been a little off in the beginning, he'd become one of Sirius' best friends. One of his brothers.

But, then..

Sirius had noticed that Peter wasn't with them all that often. Not anymore, at least.

He'd asked and Peter had just calmly replied that he'd been studying, that he needed it and he'd made some friends from his Divination class that were helping him with the class as he struggled. Sirius had shrugged it off, he didn't think Peter was lying. Certainly not when he'd complained about Divination for years, they'd told him he shouldn't have taken it but he wanted the easy pass.

( _Not an easy pass though is it, considering Divination is a load of tripe._ )

Either way, Sirius was unconcerned. He wondered every now and then, and it wasn't like Wormtail was gone so often it became a problem. It was just _sometimes_ he'd be gone for a while and then he'd appear all flustered and nervous.

Sirius had begun to think he had a girlfriend, maybe he'd finally gotten the courage to ask out that Hufflepuff, Clara, that he'd had his eye on since she smiled at him one day during Herbology in fifth year. 

He wasn't sure, maybe he'd bring that up with the Marauders too.

It was a good thing they'd be going to Potter Manor soon and according to the owl he'd gotten from James, Peter wouldn't be there until right before they were supposed to go back to school. He'd have at least a couple days to properly explain everything to his friends, maybe they'd even get to see Regulus transform!

He hoped so. He'd love for Regulus to be able to join him, running around on all fours was a freedom unlike no other. Though, he supposed flying would be cool. James had lamented the fact that he didn't have a form that could fly but he loved stomping around as a stag more than anything. (Besides staring at Evans)

Sirius was glad for the talk he'd had with both his Grandfather and his brother. Who knew that talking so openly and honestly would make you feel so good? Walburga should take notes, perhaps he and Regulus wouldn't be so fucked up if she'd ever bothered to do more than discipline them for just being kids.

Walburga hadn't yet showed her hand, not that Sirius expected her to. She was too smart for that. She was biding her time and that only served to agitate him. As much as he hated her, he knew she was a very capable witch and any kind of plan she had come up with couldn't be good for them.

But Sirius was ready. He'd take anything she had to throw at him.

He climbed out of the bath, feeling much more refreshed. That toxic feeling clinging to his skin had largely been washed away and Sirius breathed out a sigh of relief.

Sirius knew he had a lot to do in the upcoming days. Talking with the Marauders wouldn't be easy but it had to be done. He tried to think of the positives, like the fact that Regulus may achieve his form or that he'd no longer have to hide from them. But he knew he would have to go into detail and that would lead to him revealing what he'd done today.

Regulus and Grandfather understood. They were Blacks, and Blacks stopped at nothing to get what they wanted. They'd also both been on the mission and seen how badly it could have gone for themselves, so they had understood why he had to use an Unforgiveable. 

But would the Marauders? Remus had said he could understand killing someone truly vile, like Greyback or Voldemort. But that didn't mean he'd be okay with this. And James? Light as anything James Potter? James, who had looked so sick and uncomfortable at the thought of getting proper retribution during a battle. He didn't think so.

Sirius sighed. He couldn't think on it. It would only serve to upset him and give him a reason to build ten foot high walls and hide behind them for the rest of his life. He shook his head, he wouldn't do that. Sirius would stand tall and tell his friends everything. If they couldn't accept him for all that he was, well, then that would be that.

But he had to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!! <3
> 
> I love all of your comments!! I don't always get to respond to them all but I truly appreciate them - thank you <3
> 
> I'm trying not to bash Peter too much. He's their friend and they love him - but I just hate his character so much.. I really don't understand why they were friends with him when he seems so mismatched for the group but I assume he must have had some good qualities to him. 
> 
> Sigh. Tell me your thoughts about this!! House-Elves are great, right? I think they're so underrated... truly!


	25. The Boggart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black Brothers go to Potter Manor and the Marauders run in to a Boggart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... TW! Some descriptions of blood & gore but it's not TOO bad.

For Sirius, the idea of going to Potter Manor was both thrilling and petrifying.

Thrilling, because he loved his friends and he adored the Potters so he was excited to see them. He'd also get to just relax for a while without having to ignore snide portraits and constantly worry that a family member would suddenly find a reason to visit. Aunt Cassie had already done that at the very end of the Christmas holidays. She'd come screeching through the floo, cursing up a storm about some pool boy from a resort that had stolen from her. She'd swooped in, thrown some curses, grabbed an enchanted axe from the mount on the study wall and left.

(He'd pretended not to notice the article featuring a decapitated Greek man that had been suspected to be done by wizards in the Daily Prophet. James had shown them all at dinner, cursing the Death Eaters. Sirius had hummed into his tea and pretended to be sickened when he'd truly been commending Cassie on her quick work.)

However, he was petrified at the idea of having to confront his own demons. He knew he had to and he knew it would be terribly cathartic for him. He'd actually be able to rest easy after easing the weight on his shoulders. But, there was always the possibility that this could go very wrong. He was fearful that he'd be given horrified, repulsed looks by his closest friends. Sirius didn't know what he'd do if that happened.

When he'd mentioned this to Regulus, his brother had smiled softly and reassured him that no matter what, the Marauders would hold strong. Regulus was oddly insightful sometimes and the boy's use of cool logic had actually soothed him somewhat.

Sirius certainly wasn't riddled with mind-numbing terror anymore, but that didn't mean he wasn't still awfully anxious.

"You are going to fall right through the floorboards if you keep doing that." Regulus tutted from his doorway.

Sirius turned, dropping his hands that he'd been worriedly twisting together. "Shut up."

"Nope! It's what little brothers are for." Regulus grinned, swooping over and wrapping an arm around Sirius' waist. "We're _also_ here to assure our moronic big brothers that everything is going to be okay."

Sirius wrapped his arms around Regulus' upper back, pulling him tightly against him. "I don't want to lose them." He whispered hoarsely.

"You won't." Regulus said firmly, "They'll understand. James and Remus love you too much to just let you go." Regulus smiled winningly up at him, "Besides, if they even dare to make you feel bad about what you did, I'll be cooking us venison for dinner and Grandfather will have a nice wolf skin rug." He nodded proudly.

Sirius threw his head back and laughed, "Little shit." He chided fondly, "What about the messy bits?"

Regulus hummed thoughtfully, "Potions ingredients and fertiliser."

Sirius snorted, shaking his head. "C'mon. I'm sure you'll be wanting to get to Potter Manor promptly. Missing your darling Moony?"

"Shut up!" Regulus hissed, punching his shoulder. He folded his arms crossly, "You said you'd stop."

"You know I'm only teasing." Sirius said, sobering slightly. He laid a hand on Regulus' shoulder, "Honest. I don't mean to upset you. Remus loves you, even if you're a scrawny little swot. And why wouldn't he? I'm not in the habit of having unattractive and talentless little brothers." He shook a finger at him, "You're a catch!"

Regulus huffed, "Not true." He muttered, "Anyway, it sounds like you approve." He added shrewdly.

Sirius shook his head, "Nope. No way. You two aren't dating. I'm just reassuring you. But let it be known, baby brother, you aren't allowed to date until you're thirty!"

"What?" Regulus spluttered, "I-"

"And when you do get in a relationship. I'll be right there with my wand aimed at the sly bastard's face. He'll have to prove himself worthy to me first. Else I'll feed him to a Nundu."

"You don't even know where to-" Regulus shook his head tiredly, "I hate you."

"Love you too." He smacked a wet kiss on Regulus' forehead, ignoring his groaning and ruffled his hair. "Come on. Let's get going. Hopefully we aren't too late to miss breakfast, I love Bumble's poached eggs."

Regulus tilted his head, "Bumble?"

Sirius frowned momentarily before he gasped. "Oh! You've never been to Potter Manor, have you?" He grinned, "I'd completely forgotten! You slippery little thing, you got out of it at Christmas but.." 

"I didn't-"

"Bumble's their elf. They've got a couple more but Bumble manages the kitchen. She's a fantastic cook." He grinned, "You'll love her. She's very shy, she was saved from some old family, can't remember who. She's not like Flitty- Oh, Flitty is the main cleaner of the house and she's a cheeky little thing. You'll love her too." Sirius rambled.

Regulus bit his lip, grinning slightly, "Really?"

"Yes! And they'll love you. Come-" He tugged him in the direction of the door. "James said that it's just him and Moony at the moment. So, hm, it's Monday now and Peter won't be there until Friday afternoon, something about his mum-" He pulled Regulus into his room, "Where's your stuff?"

"My trunks in my pocket, stupid." Regulus rolled his eyes. "What about the full moon?"

"Full's already been." Sirius waved a hand, "It was last night, actually. So Remus will be tired today. Best not to do anything too overwhelming, we'll probably just relax or-"

"Have you forgotten I've been with you all since January? I know the protocol for the full moon." Regulus huffed, looking slightly offended.

"Oh. Yes." Sirius nodded, feeling wrong-footed, "Uh-"

Regulus sighed, "Siri. Please. Relax. Would you like a calming draught?" He asked softly.

Sirius bit his lip. His hands were shaking slightly and although he could probably just ignore it, he shouldn't. "Yes. Yes please."

Regulus smiled and pulled a vial from his pocket. He waited until Sirius downed it before tilting his head at Sirius' confused look.

"I thought you'd want one. If you had said no I'd have forced you to drink it." Regulus tossed the vial on his bedside table. Kreacher would clean it up anyway, he always made sure Regulus' room was spotless. "You need to relax. We'll let it happen naturally, okay? You can wait until you feel ready. There's no rush. It doesn't even have to happen this half term."

"But Peter-"

"We can always wait until he's asleep one night. Or even when he's off with his Divination group. We have time, Sirius. Please." Regulus pleaded softly as they moved to the floo room. Sirius took in a deep breath before he nodded. He could do this. "Are you okay?"

Sirius shakily exhaled. A part of him wished that Grandfather was there but he was off dealing with some emergency in the Ministry. All those on the Wizengamot had been suddenly called in and Grandfather had looked especially grim when they saw him off to the floo. They'd only been awake because Sirius was too nervous to sleep and Regulus had been trying to calm him down.

Grandfather had entered the sitting room they were in, nodding at them before informing them of the meeting. He and Regulus had been curled up on the sofa after he left, conversing quietly and trying to come up with a reason for the meeting.

They'd theorised plenty but they wouldn't be certain until either a new development happened that was reported in the Prophet, or Grandfather told them himself. Sometimes he would let things slip but sometimes those in the Wizengamot had to take specific oaths for their silence. That was always annoying but they understood. Sirius always wrinkled his nose when the missives came regarding the Ministry, some day soon, that would be his burden.

He stared at the hand crafted fireplace and exhaled again. He could do this. Regulus reached out to grip his hand and Sirius felt more grounded. He had Regulus. Of course he could do this.

_"Potter Manor!"_

When Sirius stepped through the floo, he took a moment to let the overwhelming warmth of the Potter household fill him. There was something truly magical about this place. It was large, far too large to ever be considered homely, and yet that's exactly what it was. The winding, grand staircase with it's carved wooden handrail, the high white walls and beautiful artwork decorating them did nothing but make you feel at home.

Regulus looked around in awe and Sirius fondly remembered his own first time here. Most purebloods had their floo in some kind of receiving room but the Potters had their floo for visitors in the entrance hall. They had a separate room nearby where they would take guests and a parlour and dining area for entertaining them. It was different, but Sirius liked it. 

"Sirius!" James suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs, he leaned down over the railing and threw his arms out. "My love has returned to me!"

Sirius felt that warmth of the Potter home amplify. James just had this way about him of making you feel at home. He exuded a charm and comfort that you couldn't help but revel in. 

He copied James, theatrically holding his arms out. "My darling! I have returned to your person!"

Swooning, James cried. "Mine heart! Mine luscious, divine-"

"Oh do shut up, James." Euphemia called, coming out of what Sirius knew was the dining room as she walked towards them, a genuine smile on her face. She surveyed Sirius carefully as if checking that the Blacks were actually taking care of him and she looked oddly pleased, but there was a wistfulness in her brown eyes that saddened him.

He knew she felt slightly bereft that he'd gone back to his family. She'd admitted to him that he was like her second son and he'd felt truly awful when he packed up his things out of the guest bedroom they'd marked as Sirius' since he first arrived. But he could tell she was happy for him and when she turned her motherly gaze to the small person beside him, she gasped softly.

"Oh!" She cried, hand coming up to her mouth. Sirius knew exactly what she was seeing. A tiny, much more unsure version of Sirius, hiding slightly behind him. Sirius could almost see the maternal instincts in her rising, demanding she help this poor boy. He wanted to snicker, Euphemia Potter wouldn't let Regulus go once she'd gotten to him. 

Regulus himself looked uncertain. He was clearly unsure of how to interact with someone so genial and kind. She was giving Regulus such a worried look and considering she was a total stranger, he knew Regulus was highly uncertain of how to react. Regulus wasn't quite used to being treated well, even less so than Sirius was, and he knew there was a chance Euphemia could overwhelm him.

Euphemia seemed to realise this and she clenched her jaw as she fought down the urge to coo and pamper him. Or smother him, perhaps. 

Footfalls behind her seemed to jerk her to attention, "Look at you! Oh. Such a darling boy, I can tell. Not as much of a delinquent as your brother, I'd hope." She teased.

Regulus visibly relaxed, poking fun at Sirius was something he'd been doing for years. "It is nice to meet you, Mrs Potter. I am Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother. I can assure you, I'll be no trouble, ma'am." He bowed and she giggled softly.

"Such a polite boy! I knew I liked you. Come, dear. Have you eaten?" 

Regulus turned wide eyes on Sirius who took over, he wrapped an arm around Regulus' shoulder. "No, actually. We knew we'd be, uh, intruding early so-"

"You could never intrude!" Fleamont insisted. He was the one who had appeared behind Euphemia, smiling jovially at both boys. Regulus blinked, looking startled between Fleamont and James. 

Sirius understood why, they looked very similar. He'd been just as confused. Sirius didn't look too much like Orion Black, not in the way James resembled Fleamont. And Regulus looked even less like Orion than he did. It was much like the resemblance between Druella and Narcissa, very close but not exact.

"Exactly!" James cheered, stomping down the staircase. "Moony is in the dining room. I'd only just gone upstairs to check if Wormtail had replied to my letter." He grinned, clapping a hand on Sirius' shoulder and ruffling Regulus' hair. "'Lo boys!"

"James!" Regulus hissed, straightening his hair and worriedly looking at the Potters. Obviously, he didn't want to make a bad impression but Regulus hadn't believed Sirius when he told him just how kind and genuine the Potters were.

"James, darling, do sit down. Our guests haven't eaten and they're growing boys!" Euphemia insisted, gesturing for them to go to the dining room. He knew what Euphemia really meant, it was hard not to with the way she was eyeing up Regulus' painfully thin wrists and pointed cheekbones.

At the sight of Regulus, a mischievous grin overtook James' face. "Hello there ickle Reggie! We've all missed you dearly." The way he emphasised the 'we' made Sirius frown. So James knew and Sirius was just an oblivious prat. _Great._

Regulus scowled, "I suppose I've missed you too." He sniffed daintily and turned back to the Potters. "Thank you both for your hospitality. I shall endeavour to-"

"Blah!" James interjected, "No pureblood nonsense!"

Euphemia tutted, "James." She reprimanded, giving him a stern look.

He huffed and bowed at the two Blacks. "Why hello there old chaps. Heir James Potter at your service, would you kindly follow me through to the location in this illustrious manor in which we partake in the consumption of various foods for nutrition and nourishment?"

Euphemia was scowling at James before she huffed. "I don't know why I bother with you-"

"Now, now. Euphie, the boy's missed his friends. James, one of the boys has never been here before, he is allowed to be polite. You would do well to be more like him." Fleamont chastised but he was smirking, giving away his amusement.

James matched his father's smirk, "Come on lads. Moony's probably dying to see you both." He winked.

Sirius snorted, "I'm starving." Is all he said as he followed the Potters into the dining room. As they entered, Remus was sitting on the length of the small table that was only used for family. Of course, it was to be expected, to the Potters all of James' friends were family. Whether it was their first time in the Manor or their fiftieth.

Remus looked up as they walked in and perked up the moment he laid eyes on Regulus. He grinned suddenly, "Regulus!" He called happily.

Regulus did a very good job and staying upright even though Sirius could see he was terribly flustered. "Hello, Remus." Regulus replied in an oddly coy manner for him. 

The Potter parents took their seats, sharing amused looks. James sat to his father's right, opposite his mother. Remus was beside James and Sirius took the seat on the other end, gesturing for Regulus to sit opposite Remus. Regulus gave him a flat look with eyes that promise pure pain and Sirius only smiled innocently. 

"I'm here too, Moony." Sirius tutted slightly, holding a hand to his chest. "You didn't miss me?"

Remus gave him an unimpressed look. "Sure- Wait, hang on." Remus turned a scowl on James, "You told me Regulus wouldn't be coming."

James tilted his head, eyes wide and full of faux innocence. "Oh? Did I?"

Fleamont snorted into his tea and Euphemia looked down at her plate, biting her lip. Sirius wondered how they had clocked on to the tension between Remus and Regulus so soon. Apparently everyone knew and Sirius was just blind. Though, Grandfather had casually mentioned that he hadn't noticed because he didn't want to see it. Which, was valid.

"Yes." Remus snapped, tersely. "You told me that he was unable to attend due to being unwell."

"I thought you'd like the surprise! After all, isn't seeing your _best friend_ after so long, just the best?" James asked, full of guile as he stared Remus down.

The werewolf's eyes flashed, nostrils flaring, "You didn't think I'd want to know-" This close to the full moon it was probably best not to rile him up. Even though the moon has passed, it was still common to see flashes of the wolf breaking through the few days before and after the full.

"It is no matter." Fleamont interjected happily, "It's not an unwelcome surprise, is it?"

Regulus bit his lip as he looked uncertainly at Remus who seemed to realise how his reaction may have come across, "No! Of course not! I'm just- I was upset when he told me you wouldn't be able to come. I- I missed you." Remus stammered and Regulus smiled pleasantly.

Before any other replies could be spoken, a familiar elf popped into the room. "Bumble be serving breakfast now?"

Euphemia grinned, "Yes Bumble, thank you. Our guests have arrived at last and I'm certain they're eager for a good meal."

The little elf surveyed the room and squeaked at the sight of Sirius, "Master Black be back! Bumble has missed you!" She puttered over to him and he smiled down at her, before he could say anything she squeaked again. "Oh! There is two of youse!" Her eyes were wide as she stood between them, darting her gaze back and forth as she surveyed the differences in them.

Regulus giggled at the elf that had suddenly appeared beside him, "Hello there." He sent a cautious glance at Fleamont who shrugged, nodding his head. Regulus grinned and pushed his chair back, dropping to the floor beside the elf. Regulus kneeled beside her and smiled, "It is nice to meet you, Miss Bumble."

Bumble blushed, putting her little hands on her cheeks. She squeaked delightedly at Regulus' eagerness to greet her, "Oh! You is a good Master! Bumble cans tell. Bumble knows. Would Master be liking food? Bumble be making youse anything!"

Regulus smiled and patted her tiny shoulder, "Yes please, Miss Bumble. I'm sure anything you make for us will be divine."

She squeaked happily, nodding as she snapped her fingers. The centre of the table was filled with a variety of breakfast foods that Bumble had clearly prepared before their arrival. She sent them all a shy nod before disappearing, letting out a soft whine of happiness as she popped away.

"Oh!" James beamed, "She made French toast!" He licked his lips.

Fleamont laughed, "Of course she did. She knew we would be having guests today and went all out."

Fleamont loaded his plate, those around the table waiting a moment longer out of propriety. Euphemia piled her own plate, tutting at the lack of food on Regulus'. "You can eat more than that, my dear."

Regulus shifted slightly. He'd climbed back in his seat nervously and waited until everyone else had filled their plates before giving himself a much smaller portion. 

Sirius scowled at the barely half full plate, "Reg." He warned.

"It's fine." Regulus insisted, "Honest. I can never eat much in the mornings." He assured them all. James frowned but shrugged it off, the Potter parents shared concerned looks and Remus looked ready to dump a large pile of bacon on Regulus' plate anyway. 

Sirius huffed but relented. It wouldn't do to overwhelm Regulus who was clearly struggling already with the kind attentions of Euphemia. The older woman was leaning close to him and happily asking about his education, mentioning his Prefect status and how he must be an excellent student.

Regulus was bright red, shyly nodding and eating slowly as he answered as best he could. James perked up when Regulus mentioned he was on the Quidditch team, "Yeah! Reggie's brilliant! He's the only reason we ever actually struggle to beat Slytherin. Always catches the snitch no matter what."

Fleamont leaned forward, "Really? I'd love to see you play sometime. I'm a pretty decent Keeper myself." He puffed up slightly and Euphemia rolled her eyes. 

"He's an old man now. Don't let him fool you, he can barely catch anything." She teased. "Though I agree, I'm sure James would happily show you our pitch."

James bounced slightly in excitement, "Yes! We can all play! We have a Chaser, Beater, Keeper, Seeker.. a whole team! Oh, Mum, could you referee? Or, oh! Maybe we could split into two pairs or-"

Euphemia chuckled, "Breathe, darling. You'll have plenty of time to play later. Eat your breakfast."

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the only sounds being the scraping of cutlery on plates, James started squirming again. Euphemia eyed him after pressing a forkful of food in her mouth and she chewed with her eyes narrowed on her son. James met her eyes innocently and took a sip of his juice, sending her a beaming grin.

Euphemia scowled, "You're going to fall out of your seat James. Do you happen to have a rash?"

Flushing, James paused in his movements. "Uh, no Mum. Just excited!"

Remus huffed, "I won't even be able to join you." He said sullenly and Sirius felt slightly bad. Remus didn't exactly love flying but he hated that his friend would be left out. He was usually too tired the day after the full to do much of anything, though Sirius noticed he'd seemed to recover much easier lately.

"Really?" Regulus' silver eyes were wide and beseeching. "Would you like us to wait? We could always just play tomorrow."

James looked slightly disappointed but happily agreed, "Yeah! We'll need our Moony with us. No fun otherwise."

"Plus, Euphie was right. Fleamont's an old man now and-" Sirius started solemnly.

"Cheeky little brat." Fleamont grinned devilishly, "I bet I could whack a bludger farther than you!"

Sirius grinned at the challenge, "Bring it on, Potter _Senior."_ Stressing the senior had Regulus tensing beside him.

"Oh you're in for it. Just you wait!" Fleamont warned, a fire in his eyes. Regulus was looking between them slightly worriedly and Sirius put a hand under the table to rest on his knee. He squeezed once and felt his brother relax.

Remus was smiling fondly at Regulus, "It's fine, love. You lot have fun, I'll finish this Runes assignment while-"

"Ah, Runes." Fleamont shuddered, "Terribly useful but utterly impossible, I find. My father had to get me private tutors just to pass."

James gaped, "You never did that for me!"

"You're smart enough on your own." Euphemia insisted, "Besides, you have friends to help you. Sirius dear, didn't you mention that Regulus was good with Runes?"

"He's a little prodigy!" Sirius crooned, finishing his last sausage. "Been running circles around all of us for years, he has. Slughorn never shuts up about him apparently."

"It's not-" Regulus blushed, "It's not that. It's just that most people don't have an avid interest in Runes beyond using them for basic warding. There's so many possibilities with Runes and people don't tend to look into it. He actually suggested I look into getting my Mastery." 

Sirius turned shocked eyes on him, "You didn't tell me that!"

"I- Well I kind of forgot, honestly. He mentions it every so often but it's not like I'll do it. I'm in no rush and I'm quite busy anyway." Regulus sent Sirius a meaningful look and he nodded understandingly. Regulus probably wanted to but they had their mission to think of first. Voldemort had to die, everything else could come later.

"Well I think that's fantastic!" Euphemia smiled, "You must be exceptionally talented."

"He is!" Remus agreed, "His work in Arithmancy is amazing too."

"And Potions!" James crowed, swallowing another mouthful of juice and wiping his top lip messily.

Regulus looked overwhelmed by all the praise and was looking increasingly anxious, eyes darting around and he swallowed multiple times.

Sirius squeezed his knee again and diverted the topic, "Moony, you look better than usual." 

He really did. James gave Remus a knowing glance and Fleamont and Euphemia looked curious. Sirius had noticed it a few months ago but had just thought it was due to the moons somehow being gentler on him. Every so often throughout the year, he'd have a full that was either harder or easier than others. Sirius didn't know if there was a pattern but every moon he would pray that the next would be easier on his friend.

Sirius felt like his prayers had been answered in a way. Remus looked much less pale lately and didn't slouch as much. He stood taller and it irritated Sirius in some ways. Remus towered over all of them and now that he had better posture, Sirius felt short. 

Though, Sirius was an inch or two over six foot tall, Remus had at least two inches on him. James was thankfully the same height as Sirius, perhaps a tad smaller and of course Peter was the shortest of them all. At least he used to be, Regulus was roughly an inch or so shorter than even Peter and every time he noticed that he wanted to storm Grimmauld Place and set Walburga Black on fucking fire.

Father was tall, as was Sirius. Therefore, Regulus should be roughly his height. But Walburga fucking Black just had to lack all maternal instincts and leave her son malnourished for years.

It wasn't like he wasn't happy about the change in Remus however. It was nice to see warmth in his cheeks and an overall more healthy quality to his body. He didn't shake nearly as much and he seemed to be up and ready to go about the day much sooner than he used to be. On particularly rough moons, Remus could be in the hospital wing for _days_ and the Marauders would camp around his bedside, sharing worried looks.

Those awful moons where Remus was covered in scratches the next day had lessened over the years, particularly when the Marauders began to join him on the full moons. But lately they'd practically stopped altogether and Sirius hoped that whatever it was would stick. Seeing Remus so unwell had always made him angry because there wasn't a _thing_ he could do to stop it.

With any bullying his friends may receive, he knew he could always be there with his wand to make whoever hurt them pay. Once, a group of older Gryffindors had bullied Peter and made him cry so hard he'd thrown up. The Marauders had enacted vengeance swiftly and efficiently, satisfaction pooling within them all the next day. 

However, with the full moon, there was _nothing_ Sirius could do but be there for him. Remus was infected with lycanthropy from an early age and although he'd heard rumours of a potion being in the works to help werewolves, there was nothing yet on the market. Even worse, there was no chance of a cure anytime soon and Sirius hated seeing the disgusted looks Remus would send himself when he trailed a finger down one of his scars.

Remus flushed slightly, "I do feel better today. Mum wanted to keep me at home like usual for a day or so, but I actually feel pretty good. Maybe not well enough to run around or fly, but much better than usual."

Regulus beamed, he leaned over the table to press a hand over Remus' and Sirius fought not to rip them apart. Peace, calm. He had to let this happen. They both deserved happiness. But maybe Remus should stop looking at Regulus like that and maybe Regulus shouldn't be _touching-_

"That's incredible, Remus!" Regulus smiled softly, "Do you feel less nauseous?"

"Definitely!" James cackled, "He scoffed down that whole platter of brownies you sent. Wouldn't let me eat more than a tiny piece." He whined.

Remus blushed. "Not my fault, Reg's brownies are spectacular." He turned to Regulus with a cheeky grin, "Must be because of you that I'm feeling so good."

James snorted, Fleamont snickered and Euphemia looked terribly pleased. He was pretty sure she was planning out their wedding her head and Sirius wanted to throw a tantrum. Maybe he should drop his fork and then when he goes to pick it up he could stab Remus in the leg. Maybe then he'd stop staring at Regulus like he wanted to _eat_ him and Regulus would stop looking like he'd _let_ him.

Sirius huffed, "Didn't give _me_ any brownies."

"You kept trying to eat the batter!" Regulus cried indignantly, "My batch would have been big enough for all of us but you kept picking at the bowl."

Sirius pulled back, offendedly. "Rude! You don't want to share with your darling big brother?"

"You're about as darling as a mandrake." Regulus wrinkled his nose.

Sirius gasped, pressing a hand to his chest and turning to James. "Do you see? See what I have to put up with? See the way mine own blood, my kin, treats me with such disrespect?" He pressed a hand to his forehead, "My lovely James, catch me for I feel I may faint."

Fleamont went to say something when an elf popped in, hurriedly pressing a small letter in his hands. They all paused and watched as he huffed after scouring through the letter and he stood from the table, mumbling something about the Ministry and Euphemia followed after him when he sent her a look. Regulus and Sirius shared cautious glances, wondering if perhaps it had something to do with why Grandfather was summoned. 

It was weird that Fleamont would be summoned so late, but it had happened before. One time, Grandfather had complained about a whole fourth of the Wizengamot not receiving their summons on time and the whole gathering had been delayed by an additional three hours.

Truly, the Ministry was disorganised and it'd only gotten worse once the war hit. 

"Well." Remus piped up, "That was interesting. Glad you two are here though, James has been a nightmare." He finished after they'd all heard the floo roar to signify the Potters leaving.

James grinned, shaking in his seat. "I've missed you so much Padfoot! Honestly, boys, we have to all buy a huge mansion and live together because I can't handle being away from you lot this long."

"I think the lovely Miss Evans may object to that." Regulus pointed out.

Sirius barked out a laugh at the wide-eyed look on James' face. "Could you imagine Lily ever _willingly_ living with the four of us?"

Remus smiled cheekily, "She'd have to be mad."

"I'm not certain that she isn't." Regulus added, "Anyone who willingly gets into a relationship with James Potter-"

"Oi! I am a bloody catch. I could put the moves on you, little Reggie, and you'd be falling at my feet." James assured. 

Sirius wrinkled his nose, "Um, no thank you. If you two ever got together I think I'd die."

Regulus giggled, "Why's that? Too worried I'd steal your best friend?"

James jumped out of his seat and stood beside Regulus, he laid a hand on both Regulus' and Sirius' shoulders and sighed dramatically. "Oh boys, it's okay. There's enough of me to go around."

A soft growl was coming from the other side of the table and Remus glared pointedly at James who pulled his hands back to his own sides. Remus flushed, coming back to himself and gave them both a sheepish smile, "Sorry. I'm a little-"

"Mate it's fine." James rolled his eyes. "You've been like this for years. Remember back in third year when you almost bit Sirius for nicking the last chocolate frog?"

Sirius gasped, "My life flashed before my eyes!" He turned to Regulus who looked worried but slightly entertained by the story. "Honestly, Reg, you should have seen it-"

"Let's not." Remus said uncomfortably. "I don't usually have such bad control-"

"It's perfectly fine!" Regulus insisted, "You're still only a teenager. Your hormones will affect you just like they do all of us and it's even harder for you due to your lycanthropy." 

Remus blinked before nodding, "Um. Thank you?" He said with uncertainty.

James was snickering, mouthing the word hormones and Sirius wondered why he'd ever missed this prat. He looked around the other occupants of the table and felt that anxiety spike again. He may question his own sanity, and that of his friends honestly, but he would never want to give this up. Not for a second.

Regulus had always been scarily in tune with his emotions and rose from the table. "Now. As we're waiting for our lovely Remus to be well again, why don't we find something to do?" He turned to James with an appraising eye, "I've been informed you have a library." Sirius wanted to commend him on only sounding slightly demanding.

James snorted, "Of course the little bookworm wants to go salivate over my library. Come!" He raised a hand theatrically, "To the book room."

"Yes." Sirius stood, "The room in which various tomes are stored for our perusal."

"Where one can sit and open up said tomes in peace and-"

"Oh do shut up." Remus grumbled, he pushed past them both, huffing at their idiocy. "Follow me Reg, I can give you a tour without the dramatics."

"But then what's the point!" James whined and Sirius let the anxiety go for a moment. He loved his friends and he'd fight with everything he had to make them see that just because he had changed slightly didn't mean he wasn't still their friend. 

In hindsight. It was James' fault.

Fleamont and Euphemia had sent a letter to them all, apologising for having to leave so quickly but there had been an incident that needed dealing with and due to the Potters having a seat on the Wizengamot, Fleamont had been needed. Euphemia was with him for support and she sent a separate letter insisting that they all take care of themselves and that she would be back soon, even if Fleamont was needed for longer.

She also said that she'd seen Grandfather and had assured him that the boys were okay. Reading between the lines, Sirius could tell that she was pleased by his worry for his grandsons but the snide ' _it's about time_ ' she'd penned down made him cringe slightly. 

Euphemia Potter would certainly never hold her tongue on such a matter and Sirius knew she would have sent a pointed barb at him. No matter that he was Lord Black, Euphemia believed in family first and would never agree with the way he'd shirked his duties for years. Fleamont had seemed a little more understanding than his wife but he clearly agreed with her.

Anyway, it had left the boys to entertain themselves.

Which, truly, wasn't a bad thing. The Marauders weren't energetic little pre-teens anymore so they were happy to relax in the library and catch up. James had happily told them about the letters he and Lily had exchanged and how he was going to visit her muggle family in the summer. Remus had spoken about his parents, having come back from the coast of Wales on a short holiday that they'd taken him on and they'd all had a nice time relaxing. Regulus and Sirius had skirted around the big details, mentioning the nicer moments like how they'd butchered an old portrait of Aunt Elladora in her teenage years.

Remus had looked delighted; Elladora Black was a known hater of all creatures, including werewolves. James had cackled, begging to see the portrait and Sirius had happily agreed, promising he'd show him at some point. They'd even talked about the possibility of the Marauders spending a few days at Black Manor over the summer - which James had been oddly excited about.

They'd been calmly talking about the upcoming Quidditch season, Regulus pointing out that Ravenclaw were surprisingly fierce this year. James had countered that as he was Captain of his team and it was his last year, he wouldn't settle for anything less than a win. Regulus had sniffed daintily, crossing his ankles and raising his chin, ' _You'll have to try and beat me then, Potter_ ' he'd said. James had insisted that he could, in a true Seekers match, beat him one-on-one.

Now, this was a topic they'd gone over before.

James was a Chaser certainly, it was where he was most comfortable and it was the best position for him. He didn't really have the patience to be a Seeker and he wasn't quite built for it - too muscular and eager to be in the spotlight. However, James had always liked the glory associated with catching the snitch and for years he'd carry a practice one around to try and impress Evans.

(She couldn't possibly have cared less, not that it stopped James)

Either way, James enjoyed both positions and as nobody in their friend group was interested in being a Chaser, he'd jumped at the chance to challenge Regulus to Seeker matches. Whenever they'd played they usually did it without bludgers, beaters or any other players. Just two Seekers each on a broom and a snitch. It usually ended with Regulus winning.

This time however, James was insistent that if they actually played a proper game with a Beater and some bludgers to avoid, he would win. When Sirius had refused to whack bludgers at them, citing his tiredness when in actuality he hated the idea of sending a bludger at Regulus, Remus had joined the conversation. He'd said that they could always enchant the bludgers to be softer or have them charmed to follow a player each. 

James had eagerly jumped up at the chance, saying that although they couldn't play that day, they'd need some time to work out the logistics. Regulus had shrugged insouciantly, casually checking his nails as he said he could beat James any day of the week so it didn't matter to him.

A fire had ignited in James at that and he'd dragged them all to the attic where some of the old bludgers were stored. Their newer and much more expensive kits were in the broom shed outside, but James had blushed and mentioned that his mum would kill him if he messed with their better equipment.

So really, it was James' fault. If he hadn't been so insistent on dragging them up to the dusty attic right then and there, it would never have happened.

Regulus had sneezed violently at the dust, allergies acting up and Sirius had quickly spelled as much of it away as he could. Regulus had always been sickly as a child and prone to colds or allergies, so Sirius had gotten quite good at this particular magic. James had grumbled as he looked around, whining about there being no sense of organisation.

Remus had then snorted, pointing out that James' bedroom was an utter sty and he had no right to talk. Sirius had snickered, adding that James' hair proved his lack of organisation.

From there, they'd all dissolved into teasing barbs. James poking at Regulus, Regulus teasing Sirius, Sirius going after Remus and any other variation. 

It was when Remus had squawked indignantly when Sirius said he was like a crochety old man trapped in a teenagers body, that he'd swiped out at Sirius and knocked him into an old armoire against the wall. He'd stumbled and straightened himself but the wardrobe had continued to rattle.

Sirius had stared at in confusedly before Remus let out an odd growl, "Boggart." He'd rumbled.

James had hissed, "Fuck. The elves should have caught that already."

"Don't get upset with them." Regulus muttered, "Boggarts turn into their fears too. They probably didn't want to deal with it."

Sirius shrugged, "Judging by the amount of dust and cobwebs, I'm doubting anyone really comes up here anyway. Probably been here a while." He pointed out.

James huffed, "Right. Well. Does anyone want to tackle it?"

Remus shifted, "When was the last time we even tackled a Boggart?"

"Uh," James scratched his head, warily eyeing the wardrobe that was rattling. "Couple years at least. I know we learned about them and we found one back in like, third year, right?"

"You did?" Regulus asked, curious and worried. "How? What happened?"

"Ah, we were uh-" Sirius dithered over how to explain it before shrugging, "We were sneaking about the dungeons to plan a prank on you guys. Specifically on your common room - that was shortly before all of the snake emblems suddenly had a lion ripping their heads off." He grinned.

Regulus huffed, crossing him arms. "I knew that was you lot. Bloody idiots - the first years were terrified!"

Sirius grimaced, "Yes, well. Anyway-"

"We found the thing lurking in one of the old Potions classrooms. We'd gone in to hide from Slughorn and one of the little cupboards started shaking." Remus rolled his eyes, "James and Sirius yanked the door open and the Boggart came out. Luckily it didn't know quite who to focus on and ended up turning into a weird slug-human hybrid with fangs dressed in fancy female clothing."

"It must have been grabbing a fear from each of you and adapted." Regulus tilted his head, "Which one of you is scared of slugs?"

"Peter." James supplied, "Terrified of the things. Though, that was back in third year so it's probably different now."

Sirius nodded grimly, "The clothing was one of Walburga's ugly frocks." He shivered. It was true, it had turned into Mother but that was because he knew his biggest fear was that she would have turned Regulus against him. "Thing is, James is right. There's no way old Wally is my biggest fear now. And Peter's been face to face with a bloody werewolf, a slug won't still scare him."

Regulus bit his lip, eyeing the wardrobe. "You know.. maybe we should open it." He turned to them, "I have no idea what mine would even turn into. And I can guarantee yours have changed."

"That's actually not a bad idea." James narrowed his eyes in thought, he pulled his wand out and scratched the back of his head. "We don't know when we'll next run in to one. What if it's at a bad time?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "Are you forgetting that Regulus is still underage?"

"Doesn't matter." Sirius shook his head, "They rarely ever check purebloods manor's anyway, and the three of us are here. With the house-elves too, they can't tell who's done the magic."

"They confuse house-elves for wizards?" Remus asked, "That sounds ridiculous. Surely because our magic is inherently different-"

"It's a massive oversight. They should find a way to detect the species that the magic-"

"Right." James clapped his hands, interrupting Remus and Regulus before they could get into another debate. "Are we doing this? Because as much as I think my Lily-flower laughing at me and snogging Snivellus is scary, I don't think that's my biggest fear anymore."

"How did-"

"The half human was a weird mix of Lily and Snape. Ginger hair and a hooked nose." James grimaced, "The fangs were- uh-"

"Werewolf." Remus added tiredly. "Not sure if it was me or Greyback. Either way, I think it's probably changed." He cast a cautious look at Regulus and bit his lip.

Sirius grimaced. He really didn't want to confront a Boggart. "Do we-"

"I think we should." Regulus added quietly, pulling his wand out and tightening his grip on it. "It's always better to be prepared. I still need to nail the Animagus transformation and my Patronus, facing a Boggart has been on my list for a while."

"List?" James asked.

"Things I want to do magically. Different creatures I want to meet, goals I want to achieve, that sort of thing. I've always been curious..." He trailed off, watching as the Boggart in the armoire seemed to get more excited. The rattling picked up making the floorboards creak as the faded crimson wood bounced with the movements of the creature.

"Right." James set his jaw. Ever the Gryffindor, he angled himself in the front. "It's my house, I'll go first. You lot stand over there - only interrupt if necessary." He'd never say 'if you think I can't handle it' because to James, he could tackle anything.

Sirius felt a rush of warmth for his best friend and grinned reassuringly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, mate. You're a Gryffindor. Head Boy, in fact! You can take on a measly Boggart." He snorted derisively and James sent him an appreciative look, masking it with a cocky grin.

"'Course I can." He beamed, nodding for Sirius to stand with Remus and Regulus who were off to the side, just far enough away that the Boggart hopefully wouldn't pay attention to them. "Order?"

"I'll go after." Remus said.

"Then me." Regulus added, "Siri, c'mere." He lifted a hand and Sirius clenched his jaw. He hadn't wanted to go last but he knew by the look in Regulus' eye that his brother was just as anxious. He resolved himself to do this anyway, for all of his brothers, he'd happily take on a stupid Boggart.

James breathed shakily, "I always thought they should teach us this in classes."

"Same." Remus piped up, "Maybe not with everyone in the room - fears are private after all. But, I don't know, I can't imagine what it would be like to suddenly come face to face with your biggest fear and not know what to do."

"Exactly. At least now, for the meantime, we'll know what we're seeing." Regulus stood straight, looking more like the 'little lion' that Sirius had named him. 

Sirius wanted to protest. He had a bad feeling about this and he had already had to fear for his life too much in the past couple of months. As well as the lives of those close to him. Wasn't this half-term supposed to be for relaxing? 

Remus raised his wand, "You ready, Prongs?"

"Go for it, Moony." James set his jaw, eyes glinting as he stared at the door. Remus flicked his wand, silently releasing the lock on the door and watching as the Boggart seemed to pause, the armoire stopped bouncing side to side and froze.

The door eerily creaked open, the noise filling the sudden silence. A soft thud was heard before the Boggart strode forward. Sirius felt himself freeze at the sight of Voldemort. Beside him, Regulus choked and Sirius gripped his hand tightly. _It's not real,_ he told himself.

He wondered at the image before him. It could only be Voldemort, but as far as Sirius was aware, James had never actually seen him. But the long elegant hands, tall form, pure white skin and almost serpentine features were indicative of Voldemort. Regulus had once sat and described him in detail as the only of them to have ever seen him up close and he could remember how horrified they'd all been.

Voldemort sneered down at James who had gone completely still. "Ah, Potter." His voice held the weighty yet aristocratic cadence that Regulus had described, "What a pleasure." He drew out the word, the 's' curling like a snake's hiss.

James raised his wand higher, shakily holding the point so it was aimed at Voldemort. "I am _not_ scared of you." He insisted. But Sirius could see how his hands shook and he had to wonder at the fact that Voldemort was James' biggest fear. It didn't seem right.

"Perhaps not," Voldemort crooned, he tilted his head slightly and a sharp smile pulled at the corners of his thin, waxen lips. "But you fear what I can do. What I represent. Your little friends, your family.. your pet mudblood.. all _dead._ Every single one, dead by _my_ hand." He flicked his wand lazily, the wand tip glowing with the green hue of the killing curse.

That made more sense. Remus cringed back and Regulus looked uncertain but Sirius felt comprehension dawn on him. James didn't fear Voldemort as a person, he feared what Voldemort was capable of. What his presence in the wizarding world meant for those he loved. Voldemort was the leader of the side of the war that wouldn't hesitate to cut down James and all the people he loved.

James flinched but clenched his jaw. The insult against Lily seemed to have snapped him out of it and Sirius internally cheered for his friend.

 _"Riddikulus!"_ He hissed. Voldemort jerked and suddenly his robes disappeared, replaced by a raunchy set of underwear that had James throwing his head back to laugh, "Not so tough now, are you?"

Voldemort snarled, pink high on his cheeks but James quickly stepped back. His eyes were shining but James looked resolute. Sirius felt pride fill him, James was so bold, a quality Sirius always admired in him.

James backed away far enough and let Remus take his place. The werewolf looked worried, biting his lip as the Boggart stopped trying to gain James' attention and instead focused on Remus. It fizzled for a moment, blurring around the edges as it whirred into a different image. It began to take a form, a shape that was so utterly familiar to Sirius that he clenched the hand that was in his.

The scowling form of Regulus Black stood before the armoire, staring down at Remus with his lip curled. Beside him, the real Regulus startled, mouth dropping as he looked at this angry version of himself. James too seemed baffled, eyes flickering between the two Regulus' as if trying to work out where this was going.

The Boggart tilted it's head, exposing Regulus' pale neck. It was identical to his brother's except there was an unmistakable marking on his neck.

A large bite mark.

Regulus beside him inhaled sharply, James grimaced and Sirius felt sick to his stomach. 

Remus choked, hand coming up to his mouth. Sirius could see the same nausea he was feeling affecting Remus. The boy was ashen, tears in his eyes as he stared at the vicious bite mark.

The wound was trickling blood, the flesh torn and exposed as if he'd been horrifically savaged by a werewolf. Regulus was glaring Remus down, lip curling in distaste and Sirius already knew where this was going.

"Filthy, disgusting beast! Look at what you've done to me!" Regulus cried, pulling his robes further aside to see his shoulder just as ravaged by the wolf. The muscle and flesh had been shredded, exposing right down to the bone and Sirius gagged. _No, no, no_. James covered his mouth and turned away, the real Regulus looked completely horrified and Remus looked seconds away from vomiting.

"I- I-"

"And you say you _love_ me? How could you do this to me?" The tone of his voice suddenly turned awfully sad, _"You_ did this to me. You killed Peter, then James.. then _Sirius._ You ripped them all apart! And now you made me like you!" Regulus hissed, he waved a hand at Remus, looking as if the mere sight of him repulsed him.

"Ri-Ridd-" Remus stuttered, but the sight and the vitriol from the usually gentle boy seemed to hit him like he'd taken a physical blow.

"Beast! Vile, filthy half-breed. You made me one of you!" Sirius grimaced, the words were like something Walburga Black would say and the awful flinch from Regulus beside him showed he agreed. "I might as well die! You took everything from me you _monster!_ I could never lov-"

 _"Riddikulus!"_ Remus cried. Eyes burning he stared at the image of Regulus that suddenly wrinkled his nose. The wound on his side disappeared and he was dressed in the ugly jumper that Remus had leant him. He was wearing James' glasses and scrunched his nose. Remus beamed, letting out a fond chuckle at the pouty look on Regulus' face and beside him Regulus looked just as indignant.

"What exactly is funny about this, Lupin?" The Boggart hissed, clearly trying to ignite some more fear.

Regulus rolled his eyes at his mirror image, seeming shaken but refusing to back down. Sirius didn't know how, he couldn't get the image of Regulus covered with blood out of his head but everyone just seemed so calm. Didn't they _understand?_

James snickered and pushed Regulus forward when Remus came back. The Boggart seemed confused for a moment seeing all four boys together and was rapidly trying to pick a victim.

Regulus stepped forward, wand aloft as he prepared for his Boggart to take shape. It blurred for a moment, recognising it's new prey and taking the form most likely to terrify Regulus.

See, most people didn't have one specific fear. And sometimes the fear was more of a representation of multiple fears, like James' was. But many people had multiple big fears and the Boggart would usually just try and pick the one most likely to get a big reaction. More likely to petrify and stun you so that they could feed instead of one that may make you scream or try to run away from them.

When the Boggart finally stopped whirring, there was a loud thud that reverberated across the attic. 

Instead of Voldemort or perhaps Walburga Black like Sirius had expected, there was nothing but an unmoving body on the floor.

The body was lying face down, rigid and perfectly still.

Regulus froze as he looked down at the body. Beside him, James and Remus were still too, staring down at the body with utter horror. Sirius frowned minutely, he didn't understand. At least, he didn't until the body suddenly jerked and was on it's back, staring up at the ceiling with blank eyes.

The sleek black hair, grey eyes and perfect structure was the same that he saw in the mirror everyday. The major difference, was the eyes that were totally devoid of life. They stared up at the ceiling, completely unseeing and frozen wide. A stain of crimson was on his torso, blood pooling around his body.

"No." Regulus choked, his body heaved as he looked down. "No- no-"

Sirius wanted to shout out, to reassure Regulus that he was right there, certainly not the corpse on the floor, but he couldn't. At this angle, the body looked _almost_ like it could have been Regulus' and Sirius was suddenly much more scared about confronting his own Boggart. 

James beside him was staring down at his best friend's body with the same horror as Regulus, Remus mirroring his alarm. James went to take a step but held himself back, jerking and looking at Sirius suddenly, reaching out to grip his shoulder.

The jerky sounds of James moving must have alerted Regulus as he suddenly raised his wand and cried, _"Riddikulus!"_

Sirius was ready to take his place but suddenly James' hold on him tightened. The body on the floor had barely flopped, it certainly didn't change shape and instead morphed into another body. Sirius understood why James had clenched his fists around his shirt as he stared down at their other friend's body.

Remus had that same horrifically blank look in his amber eyes as his head lolled to the side, dressed in his casual clothes, unlike Sirius who had been wearing the black robes he had frequently worn around Black Manor. Instead of a wound on his torso, his chest seemed to have a large gash that was steadily bleeding out. Regulus choked but shook his head rapidly, _"Riddikulus!"_

A loud crack appeared and the body turned into James, hazel eyes cold and lifeless as he laid there in his Quidditch jumper. A red welt on his forehead as if he'd taken an awful blow to the head. Regulus trembled, _"Riddikulus!"_

Kreacher appeared, _"Riddikulus!"_ Grandfather, _"Riddikulus!"_ Dorcas.

Regulus seemed to get more upset but it quickly turned to anger, he shook his head furiously and brandished his wand higher. With a resolute tone he had lacked before, he called. _"Riddikulus!"_

The Boggart finally turned into an odd culmination of the people who had been dead. Sirius and James were slow dancing while Remus and Kreacher watched solemnly, clapping like they were at an opera. Sirius didn't understand why the others seemed so relieved, _why didn't they get it?_ The others who had been corpses were somewhere there too but Sirius didn't care.

Regulus appeared beside him looking a lot less tense, giving him a wobbly smile. Sirius' body was shaking from seeing all of those dead bodies, seeing his own hadn't affected him that much but the resemblance to Regulus.. and then seeing Remus, James, Grandfather.. even Kreacher! He'd even grimaced at Dorcas, someone he didn't really know but he knew was just another innocent casualty in this war.

Sirius shook his head. He wanted to get this over with. He needed to just get this done so he could go and punch a wall until his bones tore through his skin.

He approached the Boggart, body exuding confidence and nonchalance when inside he was on one of those muggle rollercoaster things that Remus had once told him about. His stomach swooped as the Boggart stared at him for a moment, all of the bodies seeming to freeze and assess him carefully.

The Boggart rolled in place, the various forms morphing into one as it turned into what Sirius expected would be a similar fear to either James' or Regulus'. Nothing scared him more than losing the ones he loved and he supposed Voldemort would be up there too, it was _his_ fault after all.

Instead, his own self stared back at him.

In fact, he was so startled by this that he lowered his wand in bafflement. He jerked his head to look at the others in the room who all looked as perplexed as he was. Regulus was scanning this mirror image of his brother critically, Remus was doing the same with a frown while James was looking between the two confusedly.

The other version of him just continued to look at him, patiently waiting for him to pay attention. Sirius stared at himself in puzzlement, "Uh-" This wasn't what he'd expected from a Boggart. Regulus, James, Remus and Peter dead made more sense. Perhaps an active scene of Voldemort, Bellatrix and Mother all plotting together or torturing the people he loved, but not _this._

His biggest fear was _himself?_ That didn't seem right.

Suddenly, the other version of him dropped his head. "Gone."

"Uh-"

"They're all gone." He whispered. The Boggart's hands were suddenly coated in red stains, body hunching as it looked down at it's own hands.

Sirius felt a dawning sense of comprehension followed by trepidation. Oh.

"I couldn't save them." The Boggart whispered, fingers dripping with blood. It looked up suddenly, meeting his eyes. Grey on grey as the Boggart croaked, _"You_ couldn't save them."

Sirius froze. No. No that wouldn't happen. Of course he could save them. He would save them all.

"You let them die." The Boggart whispered, "They took Grandfather first, he's older so I suppose it makes sense. Then Peter," The Boggart shook his head, "Then Remus, Greyback tore him apart, then James - put up a good fight, but they slit his throat." He croaked, "And if that wasn't enough, they took our little Regulus. _Why_ would you let them do that?" 

Sirius shook his head, "No-"

"You let this happen. You let them all die. How could you just stand back and watch them all die? How _selfish_ are you?" He spat, "Stood back and watched them all fall. You didn't do anything. How useless can you be?"

"No-"

"You did this. It's your fault. Maybe if you'd have paid attention to your brother sooner, you'd have been able to do something earlier. Maybe Voldemort wouldn't have gathered the support he did if you'd have _bothered_ to pay attention to your _grieving_ Grandfather. Maybe-"

"No!" Sirius hissed, eyes burning. "You- Fuck you-" He raised his wand.

"It's all your fault. How do you sleep at night? Knowing their blood," It presented it's sodden fingers, "-is on _your_ hands."

Sirius continued to deny it. He wouldn't ever allow this to happen. "Never- I'd never- I'd sooner abandon Britain and live on an island." He raised his wand, "I _won't_ fail. I'd never- never-" He straightened his hold on his wand as the Boggart went to open its mouth, _"Riddikulus!"_

The Boggart turned into something else but Sirius wasn't paying attention, he kept firing until the Boggart was back inside the armoire and he sent a spell to swing the door closed and lock it soundly.

Sirius stared at the lock, chest heaving. The Boggart was lying. Boggarts couldn't tell the future so that wasn't true. It would never be true. Sirius wouldn't.. he couldn't allow that to happen.

Losing Grandfather, Peter.. surely by that point he'd have abandoned the country. What did he care about a war if it was stealing his most precious loved ones from him? If not then, surely after he lost Remus.. certainly losing James.. and he would never risk Regulus. He didn't care if they had destroyed all the Horcruxes by then and he only had Voldemort left. 

He would never allow his loved ones to die in his place.

But what if.. what if he _did_ fail. What if he lost them all and was left alone in the ashes and rubble to pick up the pieces? What if somehow they manage to destroy Voldemort altogether but.. but..

But what if he loses everyone along the way? Would it be worth it? 

No. No it wouldn't be.

It might not even happen until the last moment. They could all be in a final battle, both sides coming to some field somewhere, or perhaps it would happen at a well known location like Diagon Alley or Stonehenge. What if he managed to fell Voldemort, but turned to see nothing but bodies. What if he turned and had to pick up his most precious friends, his family.. his _brothers._

What if he was all that was left?

And suddenly, he understood why his Boggart had turned in to himself.

Covered in ash and blood with a grim, war-hardened look on his face as he desperately tried to blame someone for his own faults.

All of this, completely and utterly _alone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooo how was that? Tell me your thoughts <3
> 
> I struggled trying to pick realistic fears for them. Sometimes in fanfics people have them with fairly generic fears or, for example, James' being Lily hating him but I feel like for THESE boys (my versions) they're all on the cusp of a war and they'd have darker fears.. this isn't the innocent 3rd years from canon that were scared of spiders, snakes and clowns.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Also, I love all of your comments!! Thank you so very much for assuring me that people are actually enjoying this?? I only started writing it because I was desperate for some self-indulgent Regulus&Sirius moments and.. well.. thank you!! <3


	26. The Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius tells his friends all and the Marauders have some thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW!! Talks of abuse, anxiety, self-mutilation, violence etc etc. The usual really.
> 
> Breaking News: Peter Pettigrew doesn't exist because I don't like him.
> 
> Nah not really, he's not here because he's with his family atm and also because of plot <3

Sirius continued to stare numbly at the armoire. 

His whole body felt slightly buzzed, like that time he and James had snuck off and raided Fleamont's store of Firewhiskey. They'd gotten absolutely smashed and had ended up half naked in the broom shed, determined to race each other to the property line. In actuality, they'd been so hammered they'd passed out as soon as they'd walked in the shed and Euphemia had found them the next day. Luckily, she'd seemed to understand that Sirius was acting out because of his family issues as this had only been days after he ran away.

They'd still been punished - made to clean up all the messes they'd made by hand and had been banned from flying for a week. But compared to what Walburga would have done it was certainly manageable.

It always made him chuckle (slightly hysterically or bitterly) whenever his friends complained about punishments from their parents. Remus' complaints about being denied his books or Peter moaning about his mum not letting him have dessert always made him laugh. Even James' complaints about no flying or mild physical labour tasks were funny to him.

A punishment at Grimmauld Place would be something physical, certainly, but it wouldn't be as simple as cleaning up a plate you'd decided to frisbee throw to see how far it would go.

No, it would be more like being hexed within an inch of your life or denied food for so long that you passed out.

Just. You know, normal stuff. _Which apparently wasn't normal._

That had been an interesting revelation.

Seeing his friends all talk about their childhoods or their families used to puzzle him. He couldn't fathom a normal family dinner that didn't end in bruises and cut lips. Hell, even dinner conversation seemed to be sorely lacking snide comments and insults disguised as helpful suggestions.

Either way, the Black family was fucked up.

He'd thought he had largely skipped out on the gene that seemed to be teeming with madness. He knew Cassie and Bella had it in spades, though in different ways. Even Walburga had the famed family madness. For a while he'd wondered if it only affected the women in his line, but he had heard tales of what Grandfather's sire, Sirius the first, had gotten up to. Same for Phineas Nigellus, he was just as bad. Even Regulus' namesake had apparently been off his rocker.

So then he'd been thinking he had just missed out on that gene. He and Regulus both must have, for they were clearly very mentally sound.

Only, Sirius certainly didn't feel it.

As he stood, unmoving and stiff as he stared at the armoire, he felt a chill crawling up his arms. Goosebumps broke out across his skin and he felt the soft whisper of insanity calling to him.

"Siri?" Regulus' voice called and he blinked. Oh, right.

He turned, moving slowly as he looked at his little brother. Regulus was peering up at him with those worried silver eyes that Sirius always hated to see. Regulus shouldn't worry about him, he was the big brother. It was his duty to protect Regulus, not the other way around.

"Mate?" James asked, hand pressing down on his shoulder. "You okay?"

No. No he was not. And that was the problem wasn't it?

He suddenly felt himself snap back into his body. It was as if he'd been floating above himself, not quite separated but only _tethered_ to his own life. Someone had just realised he was floating and merged him back where he should be and Sirius felt calm.

"No, James. I haven't been for a while." He admitted, looking at Regulus whose eyes softened. His brother reached out a hand and held his firmly, squeezing reassuringly and giving him a little smile. "I think we-" He swallowed, looking at Remus and James. "We've been long overdue for a talk, don't you think?"

James shared a look with Remus, "Well..."

"If you feel up to it." Remus said solemnly. "There's no rush."

Sirius shook his head, "No. No I need to do this now. We need to just clear the air... it's gone on long enough and-" He let out a slightly hysterical laugh, "I don't know how much longer I can take it."

"We're here for you." Regulus assured him, tightening his hold. "Should we go somewhere more comfortable?" It was clearly not a question. A serious, possibly emotional, talk was not best had in a dusty old attic with a Boggart banging around.

James nodded, seeming to dither for a moment, head tilting side to side. "Hm, want to do this in a bedroom? We could use mine?"

Sirius shrugged, "Don't mind mate. Might be more comfortable, though." Sirius pointedly looked around.

"Right." James hummed, "Yeah, alright. We'll go to my room. Should we have the elves bring up some snacks? It's not quite lunch yet but.. I don't know when Mum and Dad will be home."

"Probably best to leave the food." Sirius grimaced. His stomach was rolling at just the thought of eating. "Maybe later."

Remus eyed him carefully, probably scenting the anxiety in the air. "It's alright mate. We're not going to leave you. You know that right?"

"Ha. You say that, Moony, but this isn't some school related drama." He shook his head as they descended the steps to the attic. Sirius ran a hand through his hair as he followed behind James who kept turning around every so often. "It's really important and- and-"

"It's also very serious. What we have to talk about is quite literally life changing. You'll both need to take vows of secrecy." Regulus said seriously.

James paused outside his bedroom door, "What?"

Remus too looked stunned, "Isn't.. I mean that's a bit excessive, right?"

"No." Regulus frowned, glaring up at them both. Remus recoiled back slightly from the intensity and James looked sheepish, "Either you take the vow or you don't get to listen."

James turned back to Sirius before nodding once, "Okay. I'm down."

"Me too." Remus added hastily, smiling at the two brothers. "Sorry, it just-"

"I get it." Sirius mumbled, "Vows aren't to be taken lightly. Now are we going to stand in this hallway all day, Prongsy boy?"

James blinked and hurriedly opened his door. The bedrooms inside Potter Manor were all large but James' could easily be mistaken for the master bedroom. It was wide as well as long and could easily fit four people. In fact, it was twice the size of their dorm at school. No wonder James had been a spoiled little bastard.

The walls were an azure blue and all of the furniture was cherry red wood with Gryffindor sheets on the bed, the frame of which had been painted gold. His room was as messy as any teenage boys, clothes were scattered around the room and the odd sweets wrapper littered the various furniture. The bathroom door was open and Sirius could see a wet towel left on the middle of the floor. James hurriedly closed the door and shoved some of the clothes around his armoire back inside.

James turned to them with a casual grin, "Make yourselves at home."

Regulus wrinkled his nose and walked to the little red sofa by the window. He had thoroughly examined the room and had obviously decided this was the least messy place to sit. He pushed off one of James' jumpers that was hanging over the arm rest and delicately sat on the sofa, back completely stiff.

Sirius smiled inwardly, glad for the reprieve from his mental anguish. Regulus was such an uptight little bastard sometimes.

He dumped himself next to his brother and was glad that Remus and James took the sofa opposite them. Sirius had always thought it weird that James had these sofas but he'd admitted that he only had them brought into his room when he made his friends at Hogwarts. It was a good thing though, it meant they weren't all crowded on James' bed.

For a talk like this, he definitely didn't want to be that enclosed, he needed to have the safety net of being able to run if he needed to. 

Remus shifted a little on the sofa, glancing warily at them both. "So, um, how does this start?"

Sirius mouthed silently for a moment. He wasn't quite sure where to begin honestly. In all seriousness, this didn't really start in one place. He could go as far back as his childhood, if anything to make them understand. Sirius cast a helpless glance at Regulus who smiled reassuringly.

"I- I think maybe-" He pressed his lips together as he glanced away from Regulus, "Maybe the _very_ beginning was back when we were kids." Sirius said uncertainly.

"That's as good a place as any." James nodded, "Remember, mate, you don't have to tell us if you aren't ready."

"Or comfortable." Remus added, "We don't want you to feel like you have to just because of that- the uh-"

"Boggart." Sirius shrugged, "It was shit, yeah, but I've been wanting to do this for a while. Trust me. I wouldn't be sitting here ready to spill my guts out if I wasn't ready."

James suddenly startled, "Wait. What about Peter? Aren't we going to have to just repeat this all?"

"Yes! Wouldn't it make sense to wait?" Remus added and Sirius wondered if perhaps they were more affected by their own Boggarts than he'd realised. 

Regulus raised his chin, "Peter will not be privy to anything we speak of."

James gaped, "What!"

"But-"

"No." Regulus scowled. "I do not trust him, quite frankly. Do not get upset, Sirius has nothing to do with this. This is purely because a large part of what we have to tell you could literally get us both killed and honestly I don't trust Peter as far as I could throw him."

James puffed up indignantly but Remus put a hand on his leg, "Why?"

Regulus met Remus' eyes evenly, "I simply don't. I've learned over the years to trust my instincts. Besides, his Animagus form is pretty damning." He sniffed, "Now, those vows." He demanded shortly.

James looked ready to protest but slumped when he realised he was outnumbered. He was looking at Remus looking slightly betrayed but Sirius felt like he understood Remus' reaction.

If Regulus was Remus' mate, he would always be more likely to side with him, no matter what. Anyway, even if they aren't mates, Sirius saw the way Remus looked at his brother and he knew he trusted his judgement. Sirius wondered if perhaps Remus felt the same mistrust for Peter that he did lately.

Remus straightened determinedly, "What sort of vow? An Unbreakable?" He drew his wand casually and Sirius felt a wash of peace roll through him. Bless Remus, kind and gentle but utterly loyal and trusting in them.

James looked uncertain, his loyalty to Peter battling with his loyalty to the rest of his friends before he too sighed and pulled his wand out. "If so, we need a bonder."

Regulus stood, "Siri?" Sirius nodded and stood, bringing his wand out but Regulus shook his head. "I'll be the bonder."

"What?" James asked.

Sirius frowned, "What?" He repeated.

Regulus raised his chin, "They're less likely to betray a vow made to you."

James gaped, "Reggie-"

"I would never-" Remus started heatedly.

"Enough." Regulus demanded, raising his wand. "Do it."

Sirius swallowed at the look on Regulus' face. He was taking this very seriously and he couldn't help but be grateful. It should be him that was acting that way, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He was - not for the first or last time - glad he had Regulus by his side.

Remus still looked offended and James looked downright indignant but they both stood. James stalked forward first, clasping Sirius' wrist firmly and turning them to the side. He stared into Sirius' eyes and gave a playful smile, "'S alright mate. Honest."

Sirius nodded, he turned to Regulus who held the tip of his wand against their hands. 

"James Fleamont Potter, do you swear not to share any of the information shared within this room, on this day?" He asked, clearly and succinctly.

"I do so swear." A thin, fiery lasso of flames floated from the tip of Regulus' wand, twining carefully over their wrists and flashing a brilliant red.

"And do you also swear to not speak of this information to anyone, bar the occupants of this room, Regulus Arcturus Black, Remus John Lupin and Sirius Orion Black?"

"I do so swear." James finished firmly. The flame appeared again, tightly binding them for a moment before flashing, accepting James' vow of secrecy.

Remus quickly took James' position and Sirius repeated the process with him. The way the Unbreakable Vow worked, any time one of the two would come close to breaking it, they would feel a burning sensation on the wrist they used to bond with. It meant that they would be forewarned ahead of time, giving them a chance to save themselves from death.

If one of them ever did break the Vow, they would face a quick but painful death. It had been described in history books, as Unbreakable Vows were very rarely broken. It was likened to seeing someone doused in accelerant before dropping a single matchstick on them. They would light up in bright red flames and one historian commented that it was like seeing Fiendfyre devour someone from the inside out.

It was horrifying, to put it bluntly. Therefore, the chances of anyone actually breaking the Vow was very low. Even less so as Sirius knew James and Remus wouldn't dare to break this vow.

To be safe, Grandfather had actually had all three of them take turns taking vows but he had given them both permission to share the information with whoever they deemed fitting. Sirius had been grateful as he always hated keeping secrets from his friends and this distinction gave him the option of telling them everything.

James plonked himself back on the plush, red sofa. "So."

Sirius cleared his throat. "You remember some of the stuff I've told you about when we were growing up, right?"

Remus' eyes darkened, "Hard to forget."

"Yes, well. Walburga Black is a foul, manipulative, abusive bitch and I wouldn't piss on her if she was on fire." Sirius hissed, "I hate the old hag and quite frankly if she dropped dead today I'd throw a fucking celebration."

Regulus laid a hand on his shoulder and Sirius breathed deeply. "It's true. Our.. Walburga, isn't a good person. She was horribly abusive to both of us and that's left its marks. We're both damaged. We've been speaking with Grandfather about possibly seeing a mind-healer, he thinks it would be helpful for us. Sometimes we rely on bad habits and poor coping mechanisms that we've developed over the years and he wants to help us."

James frowned at Regulus, looking between the two brothers. "Mate you're not mental."

"Thanks, James." Sirius said dryly, "We aren't exactly mentally _sound_ though, are we?"

"It's understandable though." Remus insisted, "Do you think you'll do it?"

"Probably." Sirius shrugged, "I want to but now isn't exactly the best time." Regulus pinched his thigh and he huffed, "Right, well. That's kind of where this is going anyway. Point is, our childhood was shit and we've both been very damaged by that psycho cunt we called _Mother."_

Regulus frowned at his profanity but nodded, "This has left us both in a bad place, I'm sure you've realised. For years we were unable to even speak to each other for fear of what she would do."

"Did she..." Remus swallowed, looking pointedly at Regulus' neck. "Did-"

"No." Regulus said sadly, "No that was something else. I'll talk about that in a little while." He swallowed, tensing at the thought of how he'd gotten his injuries, "Mother wasn't always physical with me. That was usually how she dealt with Sirius. She knew with me she could take my meals away or lock me in a cupboard or hiss nasty things at me. That always worked better."

Sirius laughed humourlessly, "Bitch. Loved slapping us both about though, didn't she?"

Regulus shifted, "She was always much worse with-"

"It's not a bloody competition!" James exclaimed, looking horrified. "You- she wouldn't even feed you properly?"

"No. But it's okay. She's not my main carer anymore and Grandfather takes very good care of us." Regulus assured, Remus was scowling heavily at the floor and Regulus bit his lip. "I know it wasn't ideal. But this was _normal_ for us. I'm trying to make you understand where we're coming from."

"True." Sirius hummed, "No dinner, a quick smack to the face and at least one broken bone was pretty much the usual."

James looked ready to either cry or punch something, "I hate her."

"Welcome to the club." Sirius smiled without much humour, "Anyway. We didn't have each other for years. When we were little I used to throw myself in front of Reggie to protect him. With us not speaking..."

"He was alone." Remus surmised, looking sadly between the two.

"I was." Regulus admitted quietly. "When Siri ran away, she knew she only had me left. She knew that if she didn't do something drastic, she'd be an outcast among pureblood society and she could never allow for such a thing. Not when she had a way to fix everything."

Remus frowned, "What did she do?" He tensed up, watching Regulus closely.

James tilted his head, "I'm guessing it was worse than usual?"

"She sold me to the Dark Lord." Regulus whispered, pulling the cuff of his sleeve up to expose his left arm. The Dark Mark was pretty much non-existent by this point, they'd used cleansing magic and called in the Familial Magic as a last resort. The Mark had faded to a raised white scar but one day Regulus had gotten so upset at the scarred snake and skull design, he'd mangled his own arm.

"What- what-" James spluttered, "How did-"

"I did that." Regulus admitted, "Didn't even bother with my wand. I took a knife to my arm to try and gouge the Mark out. I hated seeing the-" His lip trembled, "I _hated_ it. I didn't want to die or- or anything like that. I just- I needed it gone. I needed to-" He stared down at the uneven cicatrix along his forearm. 

Sirius had found him, curled in a ball and sobbing in an abandoned classroom. He'd been concerned when Regulus didn't show up at either his dorm or the Marauders and he'd set out to find him. He'd found Regulus trembling with his mutilated arm dangling next to him.

Sirius had vomited at the sight; he had been sure Regulus was dead but he'd been crying too heavily to be anything but alive. He'd raged after taking him in his arms, screaming at him for trying to kill himself, as he'd been sure that had been his goal. His brother had stared at him before whispering that he didn't want to die, but he didn't want to be Voldemort's property anymore.

That day, Sirius had sent an owl to Grandfather who had sent back the best healing supplies he could. They couldn't go to Madam Pomfrey as she would have reported it as an attempted suicide and that would have caused his next of kin to be called, which would have been Mother.

When they'd next all sat down together, Regulus had apologised over and over again for what he'd done but Sirius had only soothed him while Grandfather carefully broached the topic of mind-healing. They'd spent the day in the sitting room, quietly sipping hot chocolate and reminiscing about easier times.

"You-" James swallowed thickly, "What-"

"Mother knew she had no other option. She dragged me to be initiated before I turned sixteen. Maybe, I don't know, a couple days after Sirius left?" He mumbled unsurely, "I don't know. That whole week was.. a bad blur."

Sirius felt that same anguish he always did. He should have never abandoned Regulus.

"But.. you were so young. What would Voldemort even-" Remus asked, shaking his head, lip curling up angrily as his eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know. I think they just wanted to be able to say they had the Heir of the Blacks... though, now we know that wasn't even the case." Regulus laughed wetly, "Doesn't matter-"

"Doesn't-" James started angrily. "She sold you to a Dark Lord! That's-"

"Utterly disgusting." Remus finished when James broke off.

"Yes, she did." Regulus said calmly, "And I hacked at my own arm with a chef's knife because the mere sight of the Mark repulsed me. I'm clearly not in his service anymore, so let's-"

"What Reggie _means,_ is although Walburga is a foul bitch who I can assure you will get what's coming to her, that's not the point of this." Sirius said firmly, "Trust me, I don't like it either and we will be looping back to this." He said pointedly at Regulus.

"Yes, well." Regulus waved a hand, "She had me inducted and from then on I was a Death Eater." He looked away, eyes losing focus. "I can't really remember much. I know getting the Mark was excruciatingly painful but I'd survived Mother's ire for years so it wasn't that bad."

Sirius clenched his fists. He _really fucking hated_ Walburga Black.

"Wh- What happened next?" Remus asked uncertainly.

"Ah. Well, I was supposed to have joined in on some raids, but I managed to get out of it. Luckily." He breathed, "Then, Voldemort requested the use of my house-elf, Kreacher."

James frowned, "Kreacher? The foul-"

"We like Kreacher now, James." Sirius added hastily, seeing the way Regulus' eyes flashed at the insult to his little friend. It wasn't even a lie, he did actually get along well with Kreacher pretty well now. They certainly weren't _friends_ and he was pretty sure there would always be a layer of hatred between them, but they got along much better than they used to.

James frowned again but acquiesced, "Uh. Right. Okay. Wait why did Voldemort want your elf?"

Regulus looked down angrily. "For a mission. He was hiding an.. object of his. He placed the item in a cave and he used Kreacher to test out the defences and left him for dead."

"But.. Kreacher isn't dead?" Remus asked confusedly.

"No. He most certainly is not." Regulus clenched his jaw, "If I hadn't ordered him to come back to me, however, he would be."

James looked wary, "I probably don't want to know.. but-"

"I'll get to that." Regulus insisted, "When Kreacher came to me, I knew the item had to be important. I did an abundance of research and Kreacher described the item as so foul even he, an elf from a Dark family, was repulsed by it."

James cringed, "That can't be anything good. House elves are very resilient to wizard magic, it's why a lot of purebloods beat them senseless and yet the elves are still able to work." He spat.

Regulus looked slightly appraising but nodded. "Exactly. So, I researched. I scoured every book and only one had anything close." He swallowed, turning to Sirius.

"Stupid question, but do you either of you know what a Horcrux is?" Sirius asked hopefully. He really didn't want to have to explain them so he hoped they would. James and Remus shared blank looks before staring at Sirius expectantly, "Ugh." He groused.

"A Horcrux, is a wizards tether to the mortal plane." Regulus began smoothly and Sirius remembered how he'd calmly explained it all to him all those months ago. With having told Grandfather as well, this was Regulus' third time going over this whole thing. "It's a way for a wizard to attain immortality. They split off a portion of their soul through a very foul and Dark ritual and then store their soul in the object."

Remus gaped, looking sickened. "Y-Your _soul?_ Why would anyone-"

"Voldemort!" James shrieked, "He's _immortal?"_

Remus turned to James with a wide-eyed look before looking hopefully at Regulus, "He's not, is he?"

"He is. Currently." Regulus curled his lip, "It's utterly foul to make a Horcrux. Believe me, not even the Blacks would condone such a thing."

"You're telling me." Sirius snorted, "You should have seen Grandfather's reaction. He looked ready to vomit."

" _I_ feel ready to vomit." James mumbled, looking very much like the ground beneath him had just been removed. He stared down at his hands blankly, "What- What do we do?" He asked, looking up at them fiercely. "Do we know where this cave is?"

Sirius felt that same rush of warmth for James. Regulus beside him smiled softly, "Well you don't need to worry about that."

Remus stared at Regulus with abject horror, "No..."

Regulus smiled at Remus, sadly pulling the collar of his shirt aside. "Didn't get them walking through a meadow, Moony."

"Why-" James swallowed, looking at Sirius, "Did you-"

"No!" Sirius hissed. "This was during the summer, before we reconnected. I had no fucking idea he was-" He cut himself off angrily. 

"I knew what I would be getting myself into." Regulus chided, "I don't regret it, either."

"You said Voldemort had put up defences.. what..." Remus trailed off, staring at the cicatrix across Regulus' throat. 

"Inferi did that." He gestured to his own neck, "But the whole thing was a cave that I had to swim to the entrance of. Then, I had to give a blood sacrifice at the entrance followed by a short boat ride over a lake filled with Inferi, but they were dormant. Next, was a- a potion. In a basin. The locket was at the bottom of the basin and so-" He swallowed, "I drank it."

James squawked, "What! Why?"

"It was the only way." Regulus insisted, "Problem is, the potion made me terribly thirsty and I... hallucinated some things. Then, I went to the lake and the moment I started to drink, the Inferi woke up."

Remus looked ashen, staring at Regulus liked he would suddenly disappear. "You- How are you even alive?" He asked hysterically, "I saw those- those scars on you! They clawed at your throat what-"

"They were drowning me too." Regulus added, "Kreacher saved me. Sweet little guy." He mumbled.

James stared for a moment before turning back to Sirius, "I guess we do like Kreacher, huh?"

Sirius snorted mirthlessly, "Yeah. We do. Reggie would be dead otherwise."

"Surely-" James started. Sirius felt that discomfort fill him. James had such a rose-tinted view of the world. Even when faced with the facts, something like death was still the furthest thing from his mind.

"I left a note, in a replacement of the locket." Regulus mumbled, "I hadn't expected to live through it."

Remus choked, gagging as his eyes dripped with tears. "Why would-" He sobbed, "Why would you _ever-"_

"I had to!" Regulus insisted, "Didn't you listen? The locket is a Horcrux. That monster is immortal! It's the only way to take him down, do you understand? Yes, I nearly died and I regret that it came to that. But I don't regret going after it." He said stubbornly.

Sirius wanted to argue, as he always did when this was brought up. He just _couldn't_ accept the fact that Regulus had been so very near death without his knowledge. He had been sure their bond was stronger than that. Surely he would have.. felt it. Or something.

"But that was so irresponsible!" Remus cried.

"You think I don't know that?" Regulus hissed. "You don't think I wished things could have been different? When I was choking down that potion and hallucinating my estranged brother telling me I should just lay down and die because I deserved it? Or when the Inferi were clawing at my throat and ripping my body apart while I drowned?" He screamed, chest heaving. "You think I _wanted_ that?"

Remus gaped, "I- I-"

"No! I didn't! But it had to be done, okay?" Regulus' nostrils flared as he calmed himself down. 

Sirius placed a hand on Regulus' shoulder. "From there, not much happened. The Horcrux was apparently impossible to destroy and once Regulus was healed, he just tried to go about the day as normal. You know, as normal as you can be considering you'd just almost died and are the owner of a Horcrux you stole from a Dark Lord."

James shook his head, "Bloody insane." He mumbled before perking up. "Wait. Did you manage to destroy it then?"

"No." Sirius answered for him, "After that, we were back in school and- remember when Reggie fainted at Halloween?" They nodded slowly, "That was when Regulus worked out the whole 'Dark Lord is a half-blood bastard child' thing."

"That was you!" Remus cried, staring at Regulus in shock. "You told the Prophet!"

"With help from Grandfather, yes." Regulus said tiredly. "I was exhausted, back then, I mean. I was completely alone. Nobody but myself and Kreacher knew what was going on. When Siri and I talked.. I told him everything."

Sirius wrapped an arm around his brother, "And I'm bloody glad you did." He turned back to his friends, "Then, we had a nice long chat and a good cry. As you know. Then things got better. But at Christmas, we realised that the Dark Wanker might actually have more than one Horcrux."

"But you said to even make one-" James started before pausing, looking grim. "Oh fuck."

Remus sighed wearily, "That makes more sense. There's no way a Dark Lord would have only one way to assure their immortality. No matter how well protected it was." He shook his head. "Let me guess, you found the others?"

"Not quite" Sirius grimaced. How the bloody hell was he supposed to tell them that there was a Horcrux in the school. "But at Christmas, after Bellatrix was banished, we realised that she had a Horcrux. Bad timing really, if we'd have found out just a few hours sooner we could have ordered her to give it to us." He huffed.

Regulus sighed, "Then, we realised there was a high chance one of his other Death Eaters had one." He gave them both a look as if waiting for them to figure it out.

Remus tilted his head and James snapped his fingers, "Malfoy!"

"Well done James." Regulus commended, "You're getting slow, Moony."

"Forgive me." He said dryly, "I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment. My brain is still trying to process the fact that you nearly died in the summer."

"And at Christmas." Regulus piped up. The two stared at him and Sirius smacked him around the back of the head.

"Don't speak like that!" He hissed. Regulus dead.. no..

"Well we might as well get it over with. We staged a robbery at Malfoy Manor." Regulus said.

James blinked, "Huh?"

"But- nothing was reported in the Prophet." Remus frowned, "Though I doubt they'd want the Ministry sniffing around when there's a Horcrux about."

"None of them know about the Horcruxes." Sirius said certainly, "Trust us, we're from the Black family. The Dark Arts are practically our bedtime stories and neither of us knew about them. They're mentioned in like, maybe, two books in history. Even then, only one actually has a detailed enough description with the ritual involved and there's only two copies. One which was at Hogwarts and one which is currently in Black Manor."

James shook his head, "Your bloody family..."

"I know." Sirius sighed, "Anyway, we robbed Malfoy Manor but Reggie got very close to one of the defences-"

"I had it all under control!" Regulus insisted, "I wanted to go alone but-"

"As if I'd let you!" Sirius seethed, "That prick Malfoy walked us in and we nicked the Horcrux - oh, that's when Reggie punched Malfoy by the way. He'd summoned his little elf Dolly and had her beating herself for something stupid."

"He's an utter-" Regulus began before tightening his lips and scowling. "I don't like him, Cissa can do much better."

"Yeah but she's been after him for years." Sirius waved a hand. Turning back to the topic at hand, he added, "Not much else happened from there. Until this Easter."

Remus sighed, "What did you do?"

"We staged a heist at Gringotts." Regulus answered succinctly.

James closed his eyes briefly. He opened them again and pinched the skin on his cheek, "No. Huh. Weird. I thought I must be dreaming because there is no way you just said-"

"Yes, James. We robbed Gringotts." Sirius rolled his eyes, "Bella had Hufflepuff's cup which was a Horcrux and we stole it from her vault."

Remus shook his head, "Hufflepuff's cup?"

"Helga Hufflepuff's famed cup." James waved a hand, looking offended at their shocked faces. "What? I read. Sometimes. I remember reading that it went missing the same time as Slytherin's-" He blinked, "Oh! The locket was Salazar Slytherin's. That's cool!"

"You-" Regulus' face was contorted in puzzlement, "Whatever. Yes. I made a map to track the Horcruxes and we know there are currently two more. Three, if you include Voldemort. Problem is, one of them is in Hogwarts."

James waved a hand, "Can't be. We've been all over that place."

Regulus scowled, "I can assure you, my map doesn't lie."

"Let's get back to that later. Have you destroyed the ones you have?" Remus asked, placatingly raising his hands when James went to retort.

"No." Sirius bemoaned, "It's bloody hard. Regulus tried everything and Grandfather threw some really Dark shit at the locket when he got his hands on it. Only thing that will work is something that will destroy the item beyond repair, only then will the Horcrux also be destroyed."

Remus frowned thoughtfully, "Like what? Basilisk venom?"

Regulus startled and looked to Sirius, "I hadn't even thought of that."

"Me neither." He frowned, "Moony, what?"

The boy shrugged, "I've always been interested in creatures. Basilisk venom is supposed to be one of the most potent toxins in existence. It's a good thing it's so rare, just a drop on your skin would eat away at your flesh. If even the tiniest amount entered your bloodstream you'd be dead in seconds."

James gaped, "That's... bloody hell what even is a Basilisk?"

"It's a giant reptile, think the biggest snake you can imagine and double it. It's massive. They can grow as long as fifty feet and their stare is a killer. Literally. If you look a Basilisk in the eye, it kills you instantly." Remus shook his head, "They're also incredibly resilient. Their hide and scales are practically indestructible, even more so than dragon hide."

Regulus nodded, "But they're incredibly rare. Which is both good and bad. Even just a vial of Basilisk venom..." He mumbled.

"So how were you planning to destroy them?" James asked, looking between them both. "You said you hadn't thought of Basilisk venom so you must have thought of something by now."

"Fiendfyre." Sirius said.

Remus and James gasped, "But that's-"

"Incredibly dark magic? Yes. I know. I'm the one learning to cast it." Sirius stared at them both.

James continued to gape but Remus recovered quickly, "I'm guessing this is part of the reason you've reeked of anxiety all day?"

Sirius nodded once and James frowned, "Fiendfyre-"

"Is the only way." Regulus snapped, "I understand you're a Potter and therefore terribly Light. But there are limits. Sometimes, you have to do things you may not agree with to achieve your end goal." He added, "And I will not have you making my brother feel guilty just because you're prejudiced."

"Prejudiced!" James shrieked, "Out of both of us I think-" James stopped suddenly.

"Oh! So you're implying that _I'm_ prejudiced? When you wrinkle your nose at anything even slightly _Grey?"_ Regulus scowled, "I could whip out my wand and use a Light cutting curse to slit your throat! Or a Dark healing spell could save your life. Light and Dark are not synonymous with Good and Evil, Potter."

James shook his head, "I'm not saying that! I'm just saying learning the Dark Arts is a slippery slope! Look at Snivellus! He's-"

"A Death Eater? Dark inclined?" Regulus tilted his head, playing with his cuff. "A Slytherin? What exactly is your point here? Because all of the above apply to me."

"And as someone who has practiced Dark Magic my whole life, I can assure you it's not quite the slippery slope you may think it is." Sirius added.

Remus looked at him cautiously, "What do you mean?"

"I might not look it, but I can guarantee that I know more Dark Magic and more about the Dark Arts than the whole of Slytherin house combined. Including Snape. Though maybe not Reg..." Sirius added thoughtfully.

"You might." Regulus shrugged, "I've read a lot but you were given Heir lessons than I wasn't privy to. I'm assuming that's when you were taught a lot of the magic you know."

"Yes." Sirius nodded, "It was. Hm," He shrugged, "Anyway. I know a lot about Dark Magic. Yes, it can be intoxicating and addicting. But if you aren't a complete fool, you'll know where to draw the line and not to then cross it."

"For us, it's sort of in our blood." Regulus piped up, tucking his legs underneath him as he leaned against the arm rest. "Our Familial Magic is inherently Dark. It means Dark curses and the Dark Arts come naturally to us as for centuries our line has always practiced Dark Magic, ensuring the children are taught the same so the tradition continues."

"It's not what you're thinking." Sirius added, pointedly looking at James. "Dark doesn't mean Evil. I know a bunch of Dark rituals or spells that could save you from the brink of death. There's even some that could probably make Remus' transformation easier."

"Yeah and the price is what? Your soul? An innocent life?" James scowled.

"Sometimes." Sirius shrugged, "Most of the times a drop of your own blood is enough. As long as you're in control of yourself, the Dark Arts won't be able to take control of you."

Regulus nodded smoothly transitioning the topic, "And, see, Fiendfyre requires you to be in complete control of yourself. If you waver even for a second, the flames will devour everything around them, including the caster."

James blanched, "Why would you ever-"

"It's necessary, James." Sirius said tiredly. "It's the only way to destroy the Horcruxes, trust me, we've tried everything else. Problem is, I've been, uh, going through a lot lately. Emotionally I'm sort of-" He waved a hand, "All over the place is putting it lightly. So-"

"That's why you've been off the past couple months?" Remus broached.

"Sort of. It's not specifically because of the Fiendfyre, let me make that clear." He said sternly, eyeing James who looked ready to blame Dark Magic for his best friend's behaviour. "It's a mixture of everything."

"Starting with me." Regulus began, "Me and my injuries, my poor health. Then when you add Horcrux hunting and doing dangerous missions every couple of months.. oh and all of that wrapped in a nice little bow by Walburga and her lovely parenting."

"Adds up to a bit of a fucked up mind." Sirius smirked, "Lucky me."

James shook his head furiously, "Why- Don't act like this is some joke-"

Sirius let his head drop back onto the back of the sofa, he laughed humourlessly. "A joke? Nah. This is the furthest thing from a joke, Prongs. It's real life and it's fucking horrible. We're in a war and you flinch at the slightest mention of death." He shook his head, looking at James with sad eyes. "Fiendfyre is relatively harmless in retrospect."

Regulus laid a hand on Sirius' shoulder, "You are not to be ashamed-"

"What's happened?" Remus asked, "There's no point dithering around."

Regulus looked ready to say something scathing to the werewolf but Sirius waved him off, "It's fine, Reggie. Moony's right." Sirius met James' eyes, "At Gringotts, the Goblins betrayed the deal we'd struck with them. They were ready to turn on us, to sound the alarm."

"We had the Horcrux but they-" Regulus scowled, "They wanted it. I doubt they even knew... we couldn't lose the cup." Regulus said firmly, "It would have completely undone all the work we've done. If they managed to get the cup, we'd lose a Horcrux and if the Goblins had it in their claws, they'd never let it go."

"If they'd caught you stealing they would have killed you on sight." James muttered. "Goblins don't screw around when it comes to the security of their bank. They'd do anything to protect their reputation. How did you.." He looked at them both cautiously.

"Sirius took care of it." Regulus smiled at him reassuringly, placing a hand on his arm and Sirius felt thankful that Regulus was completely on his side. 

"The Goblins wanted to raise the alarm... I-" He swallowed, "The Horcrux is able to influence you and it was fucking with my head so maybe I wasn't in the right headspace. But, anyway, I Imperiused the Goblin into keeping quiet and letting us leave." Sirius said, raising his chin slightly.

James stared at him with his mouth open. He blinked several times before shaking his head, "An Unforgivable?" He croaked.

Remus narrowed his eyes, "Explain."

"What do you mean?" Sirius frowned.

James nodded, "Explain! Everything!"

"I- What do you-"

"The Goblin had a spear to my heart and the other was aiming at Grandfather. Siri Imperiused the Goblins into forgetting what they saw and taking us back up to the main part of the bank. Then, we split from them and came home." Regulus answered for him.

The other two seemed to be internally debating something. Remus sighed and nodded, "Okay. I get it."

James swallowed thickly, "Using-" He clenched his fists and unclenched them multiple times, "Using an Unforgivable.. I mean it's in the name.. but.." He cricked his neck slightly, "I think I get it."

"Yet me using Fiendfyre is too much for you?"

"No!" James gasped, looking at him wildly. "Of course not! I'm not- I'm just shocked." He frowned, "I don't like Dark Magic and I certainly don't like the Dark Arts but... we're dealing with a Dark Lord's soul here. He's fucking immortal that's- I mean people have been speculating, haven't they?"

"People say he's not even human." Remus shook his head, "To have made, what, five Horcruxes... that's just-"

"It's beyond comprehension." Regulus grimaced, "He's human. Barely, but he is human. So he _can_ be killed."

James looked at Regulus for a moment before swallowing, eyes beseeching as he looked at them both. "I- Reg, earlier I really didn't mean to insult you. You're like the annoying little brother I always wanted - honestly!"

Regulus looked utterly exasperated, "Thank you."

"No, I mean-" He scrunched his face, "I'm bad at wording things. I just meant that I love you, yeah? And- Okay, Dark Magic isn't evil, I know that, but for me personally I don't think I'd be able to use it. Who knows though-" He broke off, biting his lip. "You're right, Sirius. We're walking into a war and yet..."

"It's okay, James." Sirius assured him, "You're allowed to hope for the best. It's one of your best qualities honestly."

"I've always admired your optimism." Remus added, "But, you do have to be realistic. Voldemort's apparently immortal and-"

"Not for long." Sirius insisted, "We have three of his Horcruxes already. Reggie's map will lead us to the fourth and apparently the fifth is in Hogwarts."

James huffed, "I really don't know how. We would have found it!"

"Who knows." Remus shrugged, before turning back to them both. "I want in."

Sirius startled, looking at Regulus, "Wh-"

"Me too." James nodded firmly. "You've got no reason to say no. Might as well get all the help you can."

Regulus shook his head, "No way. You-"

"We aren't about to let you two run off and steal soul pieces with only your old-" James coughed, cheeks pinkening, "Uh. Well I mean-"

"He is old." Sirius said sadly, "Losing Grandmother took the life right out of him. It's why I've got to learn Fiendfyre, else Grandfather would have lit them up in seconds."

Remus frowned, "Exactly. And, not that you two aren't capable, but-"

"You could use the extra help!" James insisted, "And, not being funny, but I'm not about to just sit here while you two run off and do something stupid. You're both my brothers. End of."

"Same. You're not about to take my-" Remus flushed, looking wide-eyed at the floor. "You're both important to me. To us. We're Marauders.. you're _pack._ I won't- I can't-"

"Alright Moony." Regulus frowned slightly, "I have a feeling no matter what we say you'll insist on coming anyway."

"Even if they let it go, I can guarantee they'd find a way to follow us." Sirius groused, "I know 'cause I'd do the same."

"See!" James pointed at him, "And I bet when Reggie told you all of this months ago you had the same reaction as us."

Sirius frowned. That wasn't the point. Though, they weren't exactly wrong.

Regulus laughed, "He was worse. Threatened to kidnap me and everything. So, yeah, fuck it."

Sirius blinked, it was rare for Regulus to curse. "Right. Well then. I guess that's that."

"What's been... I mean I know we touched on it but what exactly has been wrong these past few months?" Remus asked Sirius, staring him in the eye with a very knowing look.

Sirius groaned. "Honestly, like I said it's a mixture. I'm pretty sure I have, uh, what is it?"

"Unresolved trauma." Regulus supplied.

"That." He nodded, "From old Wally. And then the fact that Reggie almost died, twice. One time was even right in front of me. And from there I've been sort of.. obsessed with killing Voldemort. Fighting in the war. Doing everything I can, you know?"

James frowned, "And you didn't tell anybody."

"And that." Sirius waved a hand. "Bottling things up has basically been my coping mechanism my whole life. Then I'd usually end up releasing my frustrations by punching a wall or hexing the nearest Slytherin that looked at me funny."

Remus shook his head, "I really do hate your mother, but you need to take accountability."

"I know. I have!" Sirius insisted, "I was a prick, for years. I was a bully and an utter arsehole to most of the Hogwarts population. I don't- I'm not proud of that. I want to fight and watch that snake cunt die, hopefully by my wand. And I'd love to see his little band of murderers shoved into Azkaban or in a mass grave. Whichever."

James swallowed, "Okay, dark. Very grim, in fact. But I can't fault you for that, I suppose." He sighed, "I really do think I need this though, exposure or something."

"It's better to be exposed to this now, James, than on a battlefield." Regulus informed him, softly but firmly. "You can't go around acting like fighting in this war - being an Auror - will be easy. It won't be flashy spells and cliché one-liners. It's blood and pain and death as far as the eye can see."

James nodded sadly, "I've wanted to be an Auror my whole life. It just seemed so cool as a kid but..." He bit his lip, "People are dying. Innocent people are being tortured and murdered over stupid blood politics."

Remus looked resolute. "We'll be joining. We'll do everything we can."

James grinned, "Yeah. Can't let you two do anything by yourselves. If I was there, I'd have just punted the Goblin and made a run for it."

Regulus snorted, "Oh yeah? With those scrawny chicken legs? You'd be more likely to beat me to the snitch, which we've already established, won't happen."

"Right, that's it-" James demanded, rising to his feet. "You and me, outside, right now. Fuck Moony. We'll play right now!"

Remus laughed, not even looking offended. "Oh yes, fuck Moony." He rolled his eyes, sending a wink to Regulus, "Don't worry, Reg. He's just talking out of his arse at this point. He knows he won't win."

James screeched indignantly, "Oi! What the- Padfoot are you hearing this?"

Sirius let himself sink into the sofa, watching Regulus flush slightly at Remus before turning a scowl onto James. He could see James gesturing and gearing himself up for a proper fight and Remus was laughing from his seat. 

He felt warm and fuzzy.

His friends hadn't abandoned him. Of course they hadn't, why would they? They were the Marauders, friends for life. James and Remus were some of the best people he'd ever met and he should have known better than to have doubted them.

The sound of James teasing Regulus who shrieked angrily met his ears and he exhaled happily, listening as Remus tried to placate them both.

Whatever would he do without his family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making it clear, Reggie wasn't trying to kill himself. He had a breakdown and gouged at his arm to remove the mark - grim, horrible and certainly not something someone mentally sound would do, but he's not suicidal.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed - I was tempted to have James be dramatic but I feel like it would be OOC for him.. at least, not when he's matured so much. Perhaps a few months before, but he's mature now and he's a thoughtful guy! He'd never abandon his best friends - which is also why he's struggling the most with Peter.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts loves!!


	27. The Animagus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus has another revelation, struggles not to blush around cute boys and achieves his form.

Regulus had thoroughly enjoyed the previous days events.

At least, _mostly._

The Boggart and having to relive all the nastiest bits of the past few months wasn't great, but the rest was pretty amazing.

The Potter parents had been so unbelievably kind that he'd been thoroughly overwhelmed. They were just so sweet and Euphemia especially seemed to actually care about what he had to say. She'd had the most genuine, loving smile on her face and he had wanted to cry at how motherly she'd been. Fleamont too had been brilliant, he'd laid a hand on his shoulder and called him 'son' when he returned.

Which, he didn't think really meant anything. It was a random term of endearment much like how Slughorn or Dumbledore called people 'my boy'. But to hear Fleamont call him that with a genial smile on his face had made him ache for a father. 

He'd felt a spike of envy at James Potter, something he hadn't felt in a while. Seeing this beautiful, _loving_ family had made him wonder why he hadn't been given the same.

Then he'd looked at Sirius and thought to himself that, technically, James didn't have Sirius the way he did. He'd never grown up with a sibling and to Regulus, Sirius was certainly worth having poor parents.

He wouldn't give his brother up for anything; not even Euphemia Potter's warm smiles or Fleamont Potter's gentle teasing.

Regulus had also enjoyed thoroughly thrashing James Potter at Quidditch.

They'd finally had their Seeker tournament while Sirius and Remus watched from the side-lines. Euphemia and Fleamont had seen the tail end of the game, commending Regulus on his fantastic form and daring dive for the snitch.

James had huffed and pouted, lamenting the fact that Regulus was a Slytherin. _If you'd have been a Gryffindor, we'd never lose a match!_

Sirius had been much calmer ever since. They'd all sat and taken a moment after the impromptu Seeker match to make sure he was okay and the smile Sirius had given them all had been enough to convince them. None of them had seen Sirius look so carefree in a while.

Remus and James had looked the same. A weight had clearly been lifted off of all of them that day and although the bad news Sirius and Regulus shared had put a damper on things, the other two had been determined to stay positive.

Remus had started theorising on the Horcruxes and how best to destroy them and James had been carefully scouring the Marauders map with a frown on his face.

Oddly, it was James who came with the breakthrough.

Considering Sirius had told him he thought that yesterday was thanks to James as well, apparently James Potter was the root of all evil.

Or perhaps good as in both instances he ended up helping out more than he realised.

"You know," James scowled, staring at the map. "We really have been everywhere. I mean, _everywhere."_

"Didn't you say Horcruxes give off some kind of aura? Surely we'd have felt it." Remus added, frowning down at the map from where he was lounging on the armchair. They had holed up in the living room, the Potter parents off on a shopping trip as apparently Fleamont was running low on potions supplies. Sirius and Regulus were squashed together on the sofa and James was laid out on the floor, studying the map.

Regulus nodded absentmindedly. He was checking over one of James' essays as a favour since the boy had been thrilled at the prospect of Regulus achieving his Animagus form. He'd happily allowed him free reign of the grounds and had assured him that when the storm came, they'd all be right beside him, cheering him on. 

"Yeah," Sirius piped up from where he'd been flicking through a muggle comic book that Remus had brought with him. "They give off this unmistakable aura. It's like.. think of the darkest, most malevolent thing you've ever felt and multiply it by a hundred."

Remus grimaced, "Foul."

"But that just proves my point! We've never felt anything like that in Hogwarts." James insisted, "It can't be anywhere we've been." He huffed.

"Maybe there's a place you don't know about. Hogwarts has more secrets than any one person can know. The elves are probably the only ones that know that place properly, maybe the ghosts." Regulus added.

"What about the Chamber of Secrets?" Remus asked.

Sirius sighed, "Maybe. But I don't know. If it is there, I doubt we'd ever find it."

James huffed, "I'm telling you. If the Horcrux were in Hogwarts, we'd have found it." He paused, "Well. Unless it's in the Room of Requirement, we'd never even heard of the place until a couple months ago." James scowled at Regulus petulantly.

Regulus froze, dropping James' essay. 

"Oi. You better not have smudged my ink." James groused, looking back down at the map.

Regulus dropped off of the sofa, hurriedly crawling to the Marauders map. "Oh. Oh!" He turned to look at Sirius, smacking a hand on his own forehead. "Why the bloody hell didn't I think of that?" He moaned, "Stupid. So stupid." He muttered, staring at the place where the Room would be.

Sirius frowned thoughtfully, "Huh?" He was still loosely holding the comic book and clearly hadn't been paying attention.

"The Horcrux!" Regulus waved the map, "It makes so much sense!" He insisted.

Remus tilted his head, "What does?"

Regulus ignored them both and focused on James, kneeling right in front of him so they were face to face. He gripped him by the shoulders and grinned, "I love you." He chimed and kissed James soundly on the cheek before peppering his face in kisses. 

"What the-" Sirius gaped.

"You," _Kiss_ , "Are," _Kiss_ , "Brilliant!" He left a wet kiss right on James forehead. "I'd have gone for the mouth but I think Lily would object."

James was wide-eyed, mouth gaping as he flushed. "I- Uh-" He turned to Sirius and Remus warily. Remus was scowling at him so fiercely that Regulus worried for James' health and Sirius was frowning just as hard.

"Don't you two get it?" He crowed, "The Horcrux _has_ to be in the Room of Requirement!" He waved the map about. "It makes so much sense! You lot haven't searched there because you'd never found the Room in the first place!"

"But we've found it now." James reminded him, "And not to burst your happy bubble, but I definitely don't feel any angrier just by being in there."

"If anything I tend to feel quite peaceful." Sirius hummed, looking worriedly at Regulus. "Really, Reg, I don't-"

"No, wait." Remus tilted his head, "The Room.. I mean.. think about it. The Room can make a beach appear and then the next minute you're in the middle of a forest. It's not like the water from the ocean is still there.. the Room-"

"It's completely magical!" Regulus beamed, "The Horcrux must be in a _variation_ of the Room. That way, it's still secure and it's unlikely anybody would ever find it!"

"But, why? It's still just a room in Hogwarts, any kid could stumble across it." Sirius frowned.

Regulus raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Any kid, huh? Including the four pioneers of uncovering Hogwarts many secrets?" He pointed out, "If you four, who I can only imagine have spent more time sneaking about Hogwarts than you have studying, haven't been able to find the Room, what makes you think anyone else has?"

"Didn't we once hide in a broom cupboard where the Room is?" Remus scratched his chin, "I remember me and Peter were looking for you two and-"

"You said you'd hidden in a cupboard. I remember that. 'Cause we'd been making the map at that point and I was sure there was no broom cupboard in that corridor." James nodded enthusiastically.

"See! So if you guys never actually found the Room, then chances are that's what most people find. I only found it because the elves really like me and they assured me that they don't tell just anyone Hogwarts secrets." He blushed, "They actually said they're forbidden."

"What?" Sirius gasped, "Why?"

"Part of the fun," Regulus shrugged, "Apparently Dumbledore likes to encourage the mischief and asking the elves is sort of cheating. Though, with the amount of trouble you lot would have caused had you found this place years ago, they probably just wanted to make sure the school was still standing."

James shook his head, huffing with a smile on his face. "Bloody hell. And I bet Voldemort found the place and thought he was _so special."_

"Definitely." Remus snorted, "You said he's an arrogant bastard. He probably thought only he would ever find it. That's probably why he left it there."

"Why in Hogwarts though?" James asked.

"Makes sense, doesn't it?" Sirius shrugged, "Tom Riddle was an orphan during the bombings in London. I can bet Hogwarts was a home to him, just like it is with most kids with shitty home lives." He sneered.

James looked at him sadly before turning back to Regulus, "Thanks for the snog, Reggie. Want to go again?" He leered, teasingly raking his eyes up and down to try and lighten the mood.

Regulus pretended to think about it, coyly biting his lip as he leaned in. He looked up at James through his lashes and whispered, "Would you?"

James gaped down at him, swallowing thickly. "I- I-"

Regulus grinned and pulled back. He blew James a kiss and smirked, "What ever would Lily say."

"I wouldn't have!" James insisted, "Y-You caught me off guard! I'm not supposed to find my best friend's little brother sexy-"

"What!" Remus and Sirius both hissed, turning to James.

"He is!" James said, "But, alas, he's not for me. Perhaps in another life you and I would have a torrid affair. But mine heart belongs to the lovely lady Lily." He pressed a hand to his chest, looking at Regulus wistfully.

"Oh my darling James." Regulus sighed breathily, pretending to pant. "But I long for your luscious lips! However will I cope without the taste of stale cheese on my-"

 _"Excuse_ you!" James screeched, launching at Regulus who cackled as he hit the floor. "Says the little shit that slobbered all over my face!"

"Slobbered! You _wish,_ Potter!"

Regulus shrieked suddenly as he felt the weight above him disappear, feeling his body shake and he started giggling hysterically. 

"Ar-Arsehole!" James giggled from beside him, chuckling as he stared up at Remus who was glaring down at him.

"S-Siri!" Regulus tried to whine but kept laughing instead. "P-Pl-Please!"

Sirius sniffed and let the tickling charm drop, "No more snogging or even talking about snogging. I think I'll have a conniption otherwise."

James panted, trying to catch his breath as he sat up. "Blame Regulus! The little tart!"

 _"Tart!"_ Regulus smacked James' shoulder, "You were drooling for it, Potter!"

"You _wish-"_

That afternoon, James' parents had told them to avoid flying because there was supposed to be an electrical storm.

They had come back, elves fluttering around them as they put away the things they'd bought. Fleamont had mumbled something about a potion he had simmering and Euphemia had warned them about the storm. Supposedly, it had been brewing for a while and she made it clear that they weren't to fly.

James had somehow managed to convince her to let them stay in the large summer house they had at the end of their garden. She'd looked suspicious but James had sweetly informed her that Remus liked being close to the outdoors around this time, hinting at his werewolf status. She'd quickly agreed, making sure to remind Bumble to make some chocolate goods for the 'poor dear'.

Regulus had been shocked that Euphemia and Fleamont knew about Remus. Not that he should have been, in hindsight, they weren't stupid and they would likely have made sure James' friends weren't using him for his status, like how Grandfather had done for them. 

Remus had blushed, looking away from Euphemia as she coddled him and stroked his hair. He'd been bright red as she assured him that Bumble would make sure to cook a nice big steak the next day, just as rare as he liked it.

Regulus had inquired as to what she meant and Remus had admitted that around the full moon he liked his meat so rare and bloody that it was practically alive. It was something Remus was ashamed of, but Regulus had assured him it was okay and that he'd happily make him a rare steak if it made him feel better.

When they'd gone back to their rooms to pack up the essentials for the night, Regulus had thought about Remus a lot.

He'd been rifling through his trunk, looking for pyjamas and making sure he brought out the box with the Animagus potion in, when he'd remembered Remus' recent behaviour.

It was looking through his trunk and thinking about the full moon that triggered it. He had suddenly remembered the form Remus' Boggart had taken. The pale, mangled skin on his neck and shoulder and the accusing look in his eye had shocked Regulus. He'd stared at this _pretend_ version of himself with horror.

The things the Boggart had then said only made it worse. Regulus wanted to bring it up and he resolved himself to mentioning it at some point. Surely he knew that Regulus would never think that of him? Regulus would never think of Remus as a monster, _surely_ he knew that.

He had also thought about the others and their Boggarts. Regulus knew his made sense; his loved ones dead was something he feared daily. But James' had surprised him and Sirius' had just made him awfully sad.

It was sad for all of them really, how morbid and grim their Boggarts had been. He'd heard of people with Boggarts that were snakes, spiders or perhaps a creature like a swooping evil or a troll. The fact that theirs were all so horrible made him awfully sad. Regulus wanted better for his friends.

He could happily say that Sirius, Remus and James were the most important people in his life. He loved Kreacher and Grandfather too, and Dorcas was a close friend, but the Marauders were something else.

Regulus cringed slightly. Technically, the Marauders included Peter. But every time he thought of the Marauders in a fond way, he mentally removed Peter from the group. 

It was wrong. He knew that. But to him, Peter Pettigrew was unimportant and certainly not his friend.

He knew James and Remus disagreed and even Sirius still felt strongly for the boy, but Regulus' stance was clear.

Regulus huffed as he shoved his things in a bag. Curse James and his stupid ideas. Well, it was Regulus' fault really, but still screw James Potter.

Packing up his blankets, pillows, pyjamas, and his toiletries was something he could very much do without. It wasn't like they couldn't just ask for an elf to pop the things they needed to them. But no. James had insisted it had to be like muggle camping, something Remus had made the mistake of telling him about.

From there, Sirius had gotten excited at the prospect of 'going muggle' and so they'd all decided to do this as muggle as possible. Regulus had pointed out that this made no sense as they would be preparing a potion for a clearly magical transformation, but Sirius had simply held a hand over his mouth to shut him up.

He'd been tempted to lick his hand but Sirius' hygiene was unpredictable. Sometimes he would transform into Padfoot and roll around in mud, so it was hard to tell when the last time he'd washed his hands was.

A knock sounded at his door and Regulus huffed as he tried to make everything fit inside the little bag James had given him. "Come in!"

The door opened and Regulus continued to desperately shove his pyjamas in. Whenever he'd fit one thing in he'd have to take another out just to make something else fit. It was ridiculously tedious.

"Honestly, Siri. This is so-" He huffed, "Bloody irritating! I blame your idiot best friend for this. Who thinks camping is a good idea?" He growled, shaking the bag out on the bed as he gave up, "Screw it, I'll blame Remus too!"

"Oh really." Remus' amused voice came from beside him and Regulus startled, flinching backwards and he turned to the werewolf with wide-eyes. "Not Sirius. And uh, sorry for telling James about camping. I made the mistake about telling him about theme parks too. He's insistent we go over the summer. That includes you."

Regulus tried to calm his racing heart. He hadn't been alone with Remus since he found out about his crush on the older boy. For some reason, realising his feelings made it harder to interact with the boy.

"I- Uh." He swallowed, turning back to the task at hand to try and hide his red cheeks. "I don't actually know what a _themed parks_ is."

"Theme park." Remus corrected gently, "It's got a lot of rollercoaster rides, entertainments and foods. I'd have to show you to properly explain it. It'll probably put you off if I explain it properly."

Regulus frowned, "Doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy then."

"You'll love it, trust me." Remus said amusedly, "If you enjoy flying, you'll like rollercoasters. Anyway, you'll be coming this summer."

"What makes you so sure?" Regulus asked, brow raised as he narrowed his eyes at Remus.

Remus stalked closer, reaching around him to take the items from the bed, making quick work of folding everything and somehow making it fit in the bag. 

"How-" Regulus gaped. He'd been trying to make everything fit for at least fifteen minutes!

"Muggle raised, remember? Mum didn't think I'd be eligible to wield a wand and even then, Dad wouldn't have let me live in the magical world if it wasn't for Dumbledore." He looked slightly sad and Regulus wasn't sure whether it was due to his upbringing, his parents or the mention of Dumbledore. Apparently losing his unwavering trust in the man had embittered Remus slightly.

"Of course you should be here! You're-"

"I know." Remus smiled, "Anyway. You will be coming. I won't let you get out of it, Black." He warned.

"Oh? Will you make me?" Regulus teased.

Remus raised a brow, looking down at him with a smirk. He leaned closer and Regulus felt his heart flutter. He hadn't been this close to Remus in a long time and he wondered how he could have ever thought he felt only platonic feelings for him. His cheeks were burning and he resisted the urge to lick his lips in anticipation.

The older boy leaned in closer, a predatory look in his eye. "Don't tempt the wolf, Regulus." His voice was husky and rich.

Regulus resisted the urge to whine or tremble. Standing firm, he raised his chin. "Or what?"

Remus' eyes glinted and his lip curled up slightly at the corner, his tongue flicked out over his lips and suddenly there was a banging down the hallway.

 _"Fucking-_ Potter!"

_"Shit-"_

"What the fuck's wrong with you!"

"Shut up, Black!"

"Oi! _I'm_ not the one-"

The shouting continued and Regulus hurriedly took a step back. His heart was racing as he stared up at Remus who continued to look at him with the same wild hunger in his eyes. Regulus squeaked when Remus leaned in again, reaching around him, Remus picked up the now packed bag.

"Guess we better go and see what that's about." Remus smiled winningly.

Regulus swallowed, nodding silently. He waited until Remus turned to slump and press his hands to his cheeks.

What in the name of Merlin was that.

The summer house was a small building that was made of the same stone as the manor but had large sections decorated with wood. There were two elegant stone pillars with the Potter crest on them, making up the small portico leading to the entrance. It was a bit large for a summer house and could easily be someone's full time residence, but it was beautiful.

A gorgeous fireplace was in the main room which was primarily made with relaxation in mind. Large sofas made up the majority of the floor space and a thick rug was in the very centre with a little coffee table on top. The walls were a soft green while the floors were all dark oak, polished to perfection that made nought a sound when he walked on them.

The fireplace itself was utterly beautiful. It was clearly hand carved and the mantel was as black as the night sky. There was the odd ornament or photo on top and it was clear that the summer house was where the Marauders spent a lot of time. 

The pictures on the mantel made him smile. One was of a very small James Potter, grinning toothily at the camera clearly pre-Hogwarts. The next photograph was of James and Sirius, both roughly in second year, on the platform. They were clutching each other and beaming up at the person taking the photograph, shoving each other and trying to take the centre spot of the photo.

Another picture of James and Sirius, clearly from around fourth year also showed Remus and Peter either side of them. The four Marauders were all smiling at the camera, waving or batting at each other happily. It filled him with a sense of melancholy; he could have had this years ago had he been brave enough.

Lastly, was a picture of the five Marauders from much more recently. Regulus was sat in the centre of a sofa in the Gryffindor common room, Remus and Sirius either side of him. James was sat on the floor between his and Sirius' feet while Peter was closer to Remus, next to James. The five of them were smiling at the camera and he remembered that day; Lily had taken the picture, insisting a Slytherin being in the common room had to be commemorated.

As Head Girl, she should have tried to remove him. But all of the teachers and other prefects had been turning a blind eye to Regulus being an honorary Gryffindor.

There was another door by the wall which lead to a small hallway. The only other rooms were a bathroom and a kitchen, too small to be used for proper cooking - at least not big meals - but was clearly more for the purpose of having a place to dump their plates or store their snacks for the evening.

James had grandly shown him around, talking with his hands and pointing out every little detail. Such as the scuff mark on the door handle where Sirius had kicked the door one day in anger and the little scorch mark on the wood from where Peter had accidentally set a small fire with his wand. James had sheepishly talked around Sirius' outburst, only mumbling something about Snape before rapidly going on about the small dent mark on the bathroom wall where James had punched the tile when they'd gotten drunk one day.

Remus had unashamedly pointed out how small the mark was, commenting on James' poor strength to wit James whined and complained about not having werewolf strength or stamina. James had then grinned lasciviously and made a strange joke about werewolf stamina which Regulus hadn't completely understood, causing Sirius to smack James on the top of his head and Remus to avert his eyes.

When they'd all settled in the sitting room, Regulus had hurriedly pulled out the box with the potion, setting it carefully on the table.

Remus then broached the odd arguing that they'd heard, causing James to smile abashedly and Sirius to grumble. Apparently James had thought it would be a good idea to sneak in on Sirius and scare him. Problem was, he'd been using the bathroom at the time and James had gotten an eyeful. 

It wasn't uncommon, according to Remus. They'd all shared a dorm for seven years and the Marauders had all seen each other naked multiple times.

Regulus had gone bright red when they all turned to him after he shrieked. He couldn't _imagine_ being undressed in front of someone else. In Slytherin, there was a strict system to using the bathrooms and nobody dared to invade your private space.

Though, he'd had to be much more assertive once he was outed as a blood-traitor. 

Regulus had flushed, fanning his cheeks when James had winked and asked him if he'd ever seen anyone else. _He most certainly had not, nor did he want to!_

Remus had then quickly asked if they had any idea what his form would be. Regulus had recounted the facts that he knew; he was small and had four legs and was most certainly covered in fur. 

James had wondered if maybe he was a cat and Regulus had said he wouldn't mind that. Remus had shrugged and said he could be a dog or even a small wolf. He'd said this with a tinge of shyness and Regulus had hoped perhaps he _would_ be a wolf, but he didn't think so. Sirius had laughed and said a cat would be perfect, saying they could call his Animagus form _Kitten._

He'd been ready to hiss at Sirius for his idiocy (or perhaps prove his point) when suddenly the dusky night sky had lit up with a brilliant flash. 

They'd all frozen, staring out of the window and watching as the sky lit up again with a loud crack. It startled Regulus out of his stupor and he squeaked, rushing to open the box and pull out the potion vial.

Sirius leaned over with a grin, looking ecstatic at the blood red potion, sending Regulus a thumbs up. James too, beamed and jumped to his feet. Remus stayed silent, rushing to the door and opening it wide, gesturing for them to move out.

They all stayed completely silent as Regulus shakily carried the vial outside. He stared down at the potion anxiously. So much could go wrong with the transformation, he could be stuck as a monstrous hybrid for the rest of his life if even the slightest thing was off.

Regulus breathed out evenly. He had to stay calm. James and Sirius had sat with him and carefully instructed him _not_ to panic and to stay absolutely calm. In the books he'd read, the incidences where the transformation went badly were almost always due to a panicked wizard trying to hurriedly transform; either back to their human form or into their animal form as they attempted it for the first time.

As long as he did this right, it should be okay. A dodgy potion would ruin the whole thing too, but Regulus was confident in his abilities. Remus, James and Sirius were stood slightly away from him, murmuring and looking approving at the state of his vial, meaning the colour at least must be right.

Regulus brought the vial to his lips and downed it in one solid gulp.

James' startled intake of breath, Sirius worried hiss and Remus' soft shushing made him pause before he was filled with an agonising pain. Regulus had learned that the boys' animal counterparts had affected them in different ways. One of these ways was their activity level at night. Although Remus slept at night like every other student, he was always able to stay up longer or become randomly active as soon as the moon peaked.

He'd even shown that his senses were much sharper at night. Considering they were already sharp, Regulus wondered exactly at the difference when night time hit. Sirius had mostly had sensory changes but he was much more agile and fitter than he used to be. James had some senses change, but he too had a similar reaction to night time as Remus did. Regulus had surmised it must be due to their animal counterpart being nocturnal or crepuscular.

He hunched over, gritting his teeth and trying not to cry out at the awful burning sensation that flooded his veins. For a moment, he felt like he'd somehow been poisoned or perhaps someone had found a way to drop Basilisk venom in the vial. His whole body was alight with pain, every nerve was lit on fire and his muscles cramped. It was much like being under the Cruciatus. Screaming in agony, he doubled over.

Regulus wheezed as he felt his body change. His whole form hunched further and suddenly, everything was much bigger.

The pain disappeared instantly and he blinked, startled. An animal instinct within him was worriedly expecting more pain and he hunched down slightly to protect himself. He blinked curiously, senses opening up to sounds he was certain he shouldn't be able to hear. Roughly thirty feet away, he was sure he heard a bird taking flight and he resisted the urge to follow after it to see if he could make it his prey.

Regulus narrowed his eyes as he heard movement close to him, his ears twitched, swivelling to the side as he heard movement and Regulus quickly turned to face the possible predator.

He'd gotten a flash of black, white and silver as he turned and desperately wanted to look down to see his colouring, but his animal instincts would not allow him to be distracted.

Regulus hunched down slightly as he stared at the large black dog before him. The dog was far too big for him to take on, he'd be killed in seconds, he knew that.

The moment that thought entered his mind, Regulus startled. This wasn't just some random dog, this was his brother. He knew that.

Regulus made a curious whining noise, and the dog wagged it's tail happily. No, not a dog, _Sirius._

Regulus wrestled with the animal part of his brain. He could vaguely remember someone, a boy with tanned skin and messy hair impressing upon him the importance of establishing dominance within himself. If he didn't, he could lose himself to the animal inside of him and he would be stuck as a feral version of whatever he'd turned into.

He huffed, chattering slightly. He was no _animal._ His name was Regulus Arcturus Black and the solemn face of James Potter was stuck in his brain. He could do this.

Regulus stared at the dog - _Sirius_ \- for a moment before snuffling and looking down. He could show his neck to this dog, he could lay on his back and show his soft underbelly and vulnerable neck. For this was Sirius Black, his big brother who wouldn't dare to hurt him.

He was curious though. He wanted to know what he was.

Regulus looked at his feet. He had paws, of course. They were covered in dense, black fur and he tilted his head. Was he a dog? He didn't think so, perhaps something similar? He'd wondered if maybe he'd be a cat, but his paws were too canine.

They lacked the feline ability to extend and retract his claws too, at least not fully. He felt his claws partially retract and he hummed curiously, the sound coming out as an odd chitter. 

The fur on his legs was shorter than Sirius' but still very thick. His legs were quite short, however and he noticed he was very close to the ground. Black, thick fur covered what he could see of his chest and there was a smattering of silver hairs all over him and a white stripe. Turning, he investigated further, desperate to see more. 

Although he couldn't see himself properly, he could see the black and silver coat was all over his body. The only exception was a pearly white tip on his tail and Regulus perked up. He knew what he was!

There was only one animal he could think of that had a body this small but long, with a thick bushy tail and short limbs. His snout, sensitive ears and odd noises all made much more sense and he whined happily.

Regulus turned back to his brother and wriggled in excitement. Sirius, upon seeing this, barked happily and pounced on him. Regulus rolled over and nipped at his brother, tackling him back and yipping excitedly. Sirius was barking and growling, a contrast to Regulus who was making distinctive chattering noises and yips.

When Regulus was finally on top, looking down at his brother, Sirius suddenly transformed and he wanted to bite him out of annoyance. He'd just won!

Sirius beamed up at him, arms coming under Regulus to scoop him up. Regulus startled at the change in height, Sirius was a tall bastard and Regulus was much smaller than he was used to. He whined and looked up at Sirius who held him tightly.

"Aren't you the cutest little thing!" He cooed, reaching down to scratch Regulus' chin and he let out another happy chitter. That felt good!

"He's so cute." James' voice came from beside him. "Fluffy little thing, aren't you?" He snickered, running a hand along Regulus' thick fur. "Oh! You're so soft!"

Regulus preened. He liked this attention. He snapped playfully at James who ruffled his fur and he huffed when the boy just poked his nose.

"He's adorable." Remus said amusedly, looking down at Regulus with sparkling eyes. "A fox, very fitting."

He resisted that annoying urge to preen or submit embarrassingly to Remus. A part of him wanted to roll over or bare his neck at the werewolf and he blinked confusedly.

"Oh!" Sirius said, looking between them. "Don't worry Reg, that's normal. Your animal instincts recognise that Remus is a werewolf - an alpha, to be exact. James and I did the same thing." He said smoothly, putting Regulus down. "Get it over with." He groused.

James snickered, "He's such a fluffy little thing! Hurry up and get the animal stuff done with so I can cuddle him."

Regulus wrinkled his nose and snapped at James' leg causing him to stumble backwards. He huffed and looked up at Remus with wide-eyes. This was certainly an alpha and he wondered how he hadn't noticed it sooner.

There was such a gentleness to Remus that often made it hard for Regulus to remember that he was a werewolf. The boy was just so warm and kind no matter what. He wore big, ugly jumpers and worn jeans and complained when he wrinkled a page in his books, for Merlin's sake! How could there be a part of him, no matter how small, that was a mindless animal intent on killing and devouring everything in sight.

It just didn't add up.

But now that he was tapped into this instinctual part of himself, he could almost hear the wolf growling at him. He flopped on his side, rolling on his back and letting his head drop back. Remus tilted his head and growled, a pleased hum and Regulus jumped to his feet.

Remus didn't have enough of the wolf in him at the moment, but it was enough. He had been recognised as pack and felt an odd connection with the boys.

An urge to huddle closer to them all overwhelmed him and he whined unhappily. Regulus looked up at them all, snuffling and huffing to try and convey what he wanted. He pawed sadly at the ground, looking up at the three one-by-one and mewling softly.

"Oh Merlin." James whined, "He's so cute!" James was practically squealing.

"Bloody hell, little one. And here I thought you couldn't get any cuter." Sirius barked out a laugh, scooping him up again and kissing his tufted cheeks.

"He's precious." Remus mused, poking at one pointed, triangular ear. Regulus wriggled again, happy for the praise. "We'll have to be careful. Foxes eat rats."

"Dogs do as well." Sirius pointed out and Regulus tried not to imagine ripping Pettigrew apart with his teeth. It would only tempt him.

James blanched, "Do they eat deer?"

"Dogs and foxes _both_ eat deer." Sirius rolled his eyes, "Dogs are literally used for hunting." Sirius grimaced.

"But foxes are worse for smaller animals." Remus said, "They're more wild and they're more likely to eat animals like birds or rodents. Foxes can eat deer, yes, but they're small so they tend to go for smaller prey. I doubt a fox would ever go after a stag as big as Prongs. As for dogs, well, they'll eat anything. Including foxes."

Sirius paled and tightened his hold on Regulus. "I'd never."

"You're not actually a dog, Sirius." Remus said sarcastically, "Though you may act like one. But we should be careful if we're ever out in a wild area."

"Rude." Sirius sniffed, looking down at Regulus who was content to let his ears get scratched. "You hearing this, little one?"

"Probably better than you." James snorted, "Look at those ears! 'Course he can!"

"You know, foxes are fascinating. They're like dogs but they're also very feline in nature. Just look at his pupils." Remus pointed out, softly stroking the fur between Regulus' eyes.

James hummed, "His colouring is gorgeous. Better be careful, fox hunting is popular around these parts."

Sirius startled, "What?" Regulus whined, nosing against Sirius.

"Yes," Remus cringed, "We need to be careful actually. His colouring will be desirable to hunters wanting his fur. As well as that, foxes may be agile and good hunters, but anything bigger than them will eat them. Even small dogs will go after foxes."

James grimaced, "And he's not small enough that he can hide easily like Wormtail. And Prongs can fight back." He pointed out.

Regulus snuffled. He was very capable, thank you very much. It's not like he was an actual fox. To prove his point, he wriggled out of Sirius' arms and landed gracefully on four paws. He breathed carefully for a moment and transformed back.

As he righted himself, he felt a little shaky and Sirius quickly steadied him. "Hmph. I'm not actually a fox, you know. I can always transform back!" He said, gesturing with one arm.

"We're still going to worry." Sirius said, before beaming. "Wasn't that brilliant, little one!"

"That was quick going transforming back." James pointed out, looking appraising. "Well done, ickle Reggie."

"You did brilliantly." Remus commended, "Moony will be glad to have an extra pack member." He said happily.

Regulus grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "That was exhilarating! It was scary at first - I thought Sirius would eat me - but it was great! I felt so- so-"

"Alive?" Sirius teased.

"Invigorated!" James added.

"Yes!" Regulus nodded enthusiastically. "That was so much fun! Oh, oh! Yes! I can join you on the full!" Regulus beamed, pressing his hands on Remus' shoulders.

"We need to give you a nickname." Remus said thoughtfully, tilting his head.

"I want to research my form, first!" Regulus insisted, "Oh, and someone get me a big mirror. I want to see myself properly." He demanded, still bouncing up and down excitedly. He couldn't help it! Regulus truly had never felt so alive. He'd been in tune with a part of himself that he hadn't even known existed. He wished he could transform back and run around the small wooded area at the end of the Potter property, but he could feel his energy waning. 

"Let me guess, sleepy?" James teased. "Don't worry, it's normal."

Sirius huffed, guiding them all back to the summer house. "You're telling me. First time we all transformed we thought it'd be a good idea to run around like idiots. I slept for about twelve hours the next day." He huffed, "Peter was even worse. Curled into a ball on his bed and snored for at least a full twenty-four hours."

"I remember that." Remus snorted. "You would have missed classes if it hadn't been a weekend. I had to tell everyone you had been up late studying."

"As if anyone would believe that." Regulus huffed sleepily. His feet were dragging as he was herded into the living room. James waved his wand and the sofas all converged into one large, soft surface. "Huh?"

James shrugged, "Thought it would be better. You're pack now, foxy!" 

"Stupid name." He grumbled, dropping down onto the bed. Regulus shifted, "Uncomfy." He mumbled, referring to the clothes he was wearing. 

He truly felt exhausted. It was as if all the earlier energy had suddenly been zapped out of him. Drained and slightly confused, he whined as he felt magic wash over him. 

"Don't worry, little cub!" Sirius teased gently and Regulus felt his brother slide in beside him. "You're lucky you've got us."

"Am." Regulus agreed sleepily, snuffling his face into Sirius' neck. "Love you. 'N I love Jamie too, don't tell him though." He murmured, "'N no tellin' Moony that I love him most."

Sirius tensed slightly but wrapped an arm around him, "Think you should be quiet, little one."

Distantly, Regulus thought that Sirius sounded odd. He was also pretty sure he could hear hushing noises and people moving around, but he didn't care.

The inner part of him which he now knew was a small, fluffy fox wanted to curl into a ball and sleep for at least half a day. He wanted to burrow into a little hole he'd dug or curl up with his pack. 

"Want Remmy. 'N Jamie." He whined, tightening his fists in Sirius' sleep shirt. "Please?"

A warm body slid into the large bed beside him, far too warm to be of the average human and Regulus immediately knew it was Remus. Sirius made an oddly displeased noise but allowed Remus to curl closer to him. Another body pressed in on Sirius' other side and Regulus and his brother were squished into the middle.

He'd never felt so warm or so comfortable before. Had this been what he was missing all these years? A pack.. a _home._

"Safe." Regulus whispered before letting himself succumb to sleep. Remus was curled behind him, grumbling contentedly while Sirius pulled him closer into his chest. James' arm was around Sirius and resting over Regulus' hip as he settled into the bed. They were all soft and so warm, Regulus wanted to cry at how happy he felt.

He'd truly never felt so safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! To make it clear, Regulus is a Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes) but is a colour morph of this fox type (Silver Fox); I picture him as being predominantly black to match his hair but with silver throughout and white on the tips of his ears and the thick tip of his tail! Perhaps his underbelly could have a white stripe too..
> 
> I had been torn between making him a cat or a fox and I ultimately decided on fox because as a wolf's mate, being a more canine creature and being able to hunt more efficiently on his own would suit him better. Though, cat Regulus holds a special place in my heart!
> 
> I'm not sure what to do about Patronus'.. a part of me wants to give Regulus his own Patronus or have him match one of the others.. choices choices
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! Tell me your thoughts my dears.. I did some research on Foxes and although the Grey Fox and it's feline grace and ability to climb trees called to me, I felt like a colour morph of the Red Fox species made more sense!


	28. The Werewolf's Mate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack is formed and mates are discussed..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self-mutilation mentioned again ... aha ...

Regulus had thoroughly enjoyed waking the next morning.

He had awoken in the middle of what was essentially a puppy pile. Remus had been curled around his back, Regulus himself had been burrowed into Sirius' chest who was holding him and James was somehow spread out over Sirius to cling onto Regulus side. It was confusing and he'd been surprised to be the first to wake, but he'd let himself bask in the glow of the moment.

It was still hard for him to sometimes let go and just be in the moment. To just be free of his inhibitions and enjoy his surroundings was still somewhat foreign to him, but he'd come leaps and bounds in just a few short months. Oddly, removing the disgusting taint from his skin had made him feel much better and he wondered if the Dark Mark had some kind of leech effect.

The heartbroken look on Sirius' face had made him feel awful and he'd thoroughly explained himself to both him and Grandfather. Though, both of them clearly weren't happy with his reasoning. Regulus didn't exactly regret it, but he should have told them, perhaps.

But having the Dark Mark had been akin to having a rope tied around his neck. He could feel it everyday, pulsing softly and although they'd heavily weakened it, the Mark worked by practically attaching itself to your body.

Most wizards wouldn't be eager to gouge out a part of their arm and if he hadn't used his Familial Magic to weaken it so, he doubted it would have worked. But it had. It had died on that part of his arm and so all he'd needed to do was remove the rotting remains.

Which he'd done; sobbing and biting his tongue to stop from screaming as he dove the knife into his flesh.

Either way, though he regretted what happened, he was overjoyed whenever he woke up feeling light and no longer tied down.

As he'd laid in the pile of his three closest friends, he'd wondered at his luck. He must have somehow ingested a large vat of Felix Felicis, it was the only explanation. Not only did he have his brother back, but he'd somehow managed to get another brother in James Potter. Even crazier, he had a.. romantic interest in Remus Lupin.

It was mad. Utterly crazy and abjectly terrifying at the same time. But.. it was beyond worth it. 

Laying there, he'd happily huddled closer to the warmth and waited for his idiot friends to wake up. Or at least, he _would_ have. Until the moment he'd remembered he was a proper Animagus now and had a form that he hadn't fully examined yet.

Regulus had made a soft chirp as he closed his eyes and focused on his transformation. He felt his body pulse, not exactly comfortable but it wasn't unwelcome either. Sirius had assured him after a few times of transforming he'd get used to it and his body would adapt to make the shift as natural as breathing.

Wriggling on his back, Regulus had prodded his snout into Sirius' neck. He happily scented the boy and moved to do the same to Remus and then climbed over Sirius to nose at James' throat. It was odd. They all smelled similar but slightly different. There was a smoky tone to Sirius, while James held a note of fresh plants or cut berries. He wondered if it had something to do with their animal counterparts, especially as Remus' had an underlying fragrance of musk and a scent that reminded him of trees and dense forests.

But beneath it all, there was a familiarity. It was as if they shared a common thread, sort of like an odd wooden smell. Much like oak furniture or the way he assumed a cabin in the woods would smell. Potent with bark, wood, crackling fires and leaves. It was like he was standing in the centre of a forest and was watching the Marauders play in their forms. He could almost picture Moony and Padfoot tackling each other, barking and growling while Prongs snorted and stomped his foot, watching out for others. There was no Wormtail, but he was sure there was a space for a small fox just begging to be filled.

Regulus yipped happily, rolling around on his back to wake them. He jumped up and was surprised at how high he could jump. Sniffling curiously, he wriggled before bouncing high in the air, landing gracefully back on the bed. 

"Wha-" Sirius huffed, rubbing his face into the pillow. "Reg?" He groaned.

Regulus whined. _Wake up, lazy mutt_ , he wanted to say. Instead, it came out as a series of chitters as he butted his head against Sirius'.

A hand suddenly ran through the fur on his back and he tensed before relaxing. Remus was blinking at him curiously, pouting slightly as he mumbled, "Woke us all up, have you?"

"Bloody fox." James grumbled, "How are you up this early?"

Sirius suddenly snorted, "It's at least midday, you prat."

"What!" James yelped and Regulus scrambled over to him to nudge under his chin. James huffed, scratching Regulus' jaw and smiling though he clearly didn't want to show his amusement. "Brat."

"It's-" Remus yawned, "Shit. Yeah, it's gone twelve." Dispelling the tempus he'd cast wandlessly, he huffed, "How long were sleeping?"

"Think it was about eleven when we went to bed. Maybe later." Sirius yawned, blinking as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He looked down at Regulus who whined, "You're a cheeky little shit."

"He's going to be insufferable." James moaned, "We'd better make a nice scarf out of him and save ourselves the trouble."

Regulus nipped at his fingers and James yanked his hand away. Remus growled slightly, "No, he's much too cute."

"Little shit." Sirius grumbled fondly, "Come on. I'll let you stare at yourself in the mirror." He said, picking him up and Regulus made a chittering noise as he rubbed his head under Sirius' chin. 

Regulus could hear Remus and James talking but paid no mind to them. They were grumbling to themselves as they followed Sirius into the bathroom, but Regulus was too preoccupied looking at the reflection in the mirror. Sirius enlarged the mirror and set Regulus on the small counter so he could properly see himself.

Tilting his head up, he watched fascinatedly as the black fox in the mirror did the same. He pressed his face in closer, curiously bumping against the glass as he examined himself. His eyes were still that distinctive silver and he already knew that would be his identifying feature. Much like Sirius in fact, who's stormy grey eyes were completely unseen on a dog, his eyes would be what gave away his status as an Animagus. James was lucky in a way, black smudges around his eyes that signified where his glasses would be and a strange tufting around the ears that was too messy to not be James' wild hair were his giveaways.

The body was familiar to the images of foxes he'd seen in books when researching what his form could possibly be. They were known for their fairly short legs and long bodies, with long, bushy tails and pointed ears. He looked no different; his body was shorter than he felt it should be and he knew he wasn't as big as a fully grown fox and doubted he'd get bigger. It just seemed to be one of Walburga's little curses.

Black, thick fur made up the majority of his coat and he was pleased to see it looked just as glossy and soft as James had said. It was slightly embarrassing that he was so fluffy, but he had to admit he was a very cute fox. His legs were, again, a little short but he didn't mind. The thick, bushy tail was mainly black with a white tip that looked like he'd been dipped in paint. Silver hairs shone in the light of the bathroom and he was almost dancing in excitement at his nice coat.

Regulus had secretly worried about his form. What if he was something useless or horrifically ugly? He'd never be able to transform. Even worse, what if he was something ridiculously distinctive like a flamingo or an elephant. He'd never get anything done! He'd be pegged as an Animagus instantly and carted off to Azkaban.

Pulling his lips back, Regulus examined the long, sharp, canine teeth he now had. They were certainly smaller than Sirius' and definitely not as deadly as Remus', but he knew he would be able to give a good bite if he tried. His ears were thick with black fur, but a stripe of white, similar to that on his tail, was across his ears and there was silver tufting on his cheeks. 

In short, he was a small, very cute, fox.

He was glad he wasn't as short as he could be. If he'd have been something as small as Peter he'd have been just as ashamed as he would have been had his form been something gross or ugly like a mole rat or a pig. Even worse, if he'd have been something that couldn't transform on land like a fish or an eel.

Sirius had assured him he'd never be something like that and James had pointed out that his Animagus form would represent himself, he was certainly no fish.

It would be awful if he _had_ been something that couldn't transform unless in water. Regulus still trembled at the mere sight of the Black Lake and his friends all made sure to try and shield it from his view, even going as far to take long routes around the castle so he didn't have to see it. The Marauders had practically marked one of the large trees by the bank as theirs, but in recent months hadn't gone anywhere near it for Regulus' sake.

So, all in all, he was very glad with his form. He was small, yes, but incredibly agile and much more nimble than he'd expected. Truly, he had been surprised at how high he could jump and it had twigged a memory of reading about foxes and their abilities. Foxes were also quite fast and he expected that if he tried, he'd be able to run quite quickly which would also be helpful.

Not only that, but as a fox he'd be able to see well in the dark and wouldn't be out of place in a forest with Moony. It was also possible that he would be able to navigate cities, though not as well as a dog or cat without drawing attention. If he'd have been the general orange colour for a wild fox, he'd have been less distinctive and therefore easier to ignore. But he was quite happy with his colouring, he looked beautiful.

The silver matched his eyes and he looked as if he'd glow under the moonlight. The sleek black of his fur perfectly matched his ebony locks in his human form and he was not ashamed to admit he thought he looked gorgeous.

He sat down, preening smugly as he looked at himself. Wasn't he just the prettiest thing?

"Vain little sod." Sirius laughed, "Look at you! Should have been a peacock."

James snickered, "As if you didn't do the same. ' _I'm the most handsome dog I've ever seen, don't you think lads?_ ' Were your exact words." 

Remus rolled his eyes, "And you were probably even worse, Potter. ' _Have you ever seen a more stunning stag? Bloody handsome, aren't I? A right sexy stag, I think._ '"

Regulus snickered, chittering as he turned to them. He nudged Sirius' belly and his brother picked him up, putting him on the floor when Regulus wriggled in his arms. Biting at the cuff of his trousers, Regulus tugged.

"What?" Sirius cocked his head. Regulus continued to pull, nipping at his calf and whining. "Oh!" He smacked his head before transforming. Regulus yipped happily, snuffling into Padfoot.

Sirius barked and growled before bounding out of the room and Regulus hurried to chase him. His legs were shorter but he was quick on his feet and much speedier than he'd anticipated. It was an odd sensation, running on four legs as opposed to two, but it felt natural. The more he ran, darting out off the door that Remus had flicked opened with his wand, the more natural it became.

Feet ahead of him, Sirius was sprinting towards the woods at the property line and behind him he could hear clomping of hooves. Regulus resisted the urge to turn, knowing he was safe and that it was just James. He continued hurrying after Sirius, hearing Remus laughing and running to catch up with them.

Within seconds, Regulus had overtaken Sirius, using his agility to his advantage. He heard an outraged bark and rough snorting. Vaguely, he remembered that some foxes could run up to 30 or so miles per hour while deer and dogs were about the same. However, his ability to be light on his feet and determination to win was giving him an edge. Chatting happily to himself, he hurried in the direction of the clearing he _knew_ was there. 

Following the trees, watching as they seemed to fly by, he could hear Sirius and James still chasing him. Remus was somewhere there too, only keeping up due to his increased stamina as a werewolf. Regulus skittered to the side, ducking behind a large tree at the border for the small clearing and waited.

It was time. Magic prickled in the air, curious and eager.

Stomping hooves suddenly stopped and Regulus hunkered down in anticipation. There was a sniffling and growling of a dog nearby as well as the rustling of damp leaves and twigs snapping. The air was fresh with the scent of the damp ground filling his senses, the rain from the night before having stirred up an earthy smell and he revelled in it. Behind him, he knew a rabbit was burrowing in a hole and he was desperate to turn around and hunt it, but he held firm.

He was in control here.

"Regulus?" Remus called, looking around with narrowed eyes. "We can smell you, little fox." He teased. Regulus resisted the urge to move, he needed to do this. A part of him knew this was important, but for now, this was enough. To satiate his need to be properly inducted into the pack, he had to prove that he was worthy.

Wolf packs were all about survival. It was simply; prove your worth or be eaten. The weak were left to die and fed on for scraps. Only the strong survived. He had to _prove_ that he could do this. For now, he was just showing that he could be useful for the pack, that he deserved his place and the generosity of the others for allowing him to stay.

Sirius had told him that when they first transformed, Moony and Padfoot fought viciously. Both were predators and neither wanted to submit, but in the end, Sirius had relented. It was either he submit, or he died. Though Padfoot was big and could fight extremely well, defeating an alpha werewolf was no easy feat. Apparently Peter had never had to do anything and Regulus wondered if perhaps Moony didn't see Wormtail as a true part of the pack. James, though a prey animal, had roughly tousled with Moony, using his antlers and his speed to avoid the werewolf for the night.

Moony had been satisfied by this and on the next moon had happily played with them both, no longer feeling the need to test them. They were pack.

James had clearly transformed back, voice ringing through the clearing. "You're doing well, foxy. But Padfoot will find you." He assured.

Snuffling came closer and Regulus tensed. He crouched down and curled up tighter, digging himself into a small dip in the earth that had clearly been dug out by another animal. Perhaps a badger or another fox. 

Regulus had chosen this tree for a reason. The small burrow had almost called to him and the thick tree roots that snaked around the dirt made it almost impossible to see. It was if the magic of the earth he was inside had sung to him, granting him a safe haven.

"Padfoot?" James called and he heard growling followed by whining. "Seriously?"

"He's somewhere here!" Sirius insisted, turning back into his human form. "I can smell the little brat. There's no way he _isn't_ here!"

Remus' soft but firm footfalls came closer and Regulus resisted the urge to grin. As Moony, Remus would have probably found him in a heartbeat, but he didn't have the full moon backing him at the moment and was predominantly human.

"I know." Remus murmured, "He's here. I don't know where, but he's here."

James was obviously frowning, "Right you little shit, come out then!" He called unnecessarily. They'd already established that foxes had fantastic hearing, so James certainly didn't need to raise his voice. In fact, he could hear the stream running if he focused and he knew the lake was about forty feet in the other direction.

Regulus waited. He wasn't _stupid._ This was pack initiation.

A few moments of silence went and he heard Sirius laugh. "Brat." He chided fondly, "Seriously, you can come out now."

He refused. The earth was calling to him and being in this little burrow made him feel as snug as he had last night. A part of him felt completely fulfilled and he was thrilled at the new possibilities he could explore in his Animagus form.

His senses were completely open. Sirius smelled of smoke, leather, rainstorms, fire and pine trees, Remus smelled like tea, fresh linens, parchment, wood and chocolate while James gave off the scent of mint, berries, fresh grass, broom polish and brown sugar. They were all distinctive and perfect. They smelled like _pack._

Regulus wanted to whimper and join them, to curl up with them again but he couldn't. The bond was forming and he could hear James shifting in anticipation and Sirius bouncing on the balls of his feet as he always did when he was excited.

"Oh." Remus breathed, _"Finally."_

The air was thickening, ripe with untamed magic as it seemed to burst into existence. Regulus wriggled out of the burrow and hurried to stand by his pack. Around them, the trees danced to the movement of the wind, leaves whirring on the ground and spiralling into the air as the magic called together. The scents of his packmates all blurred together and Regulus transformed back into his human form.

He stood and watched as James, Sirius and Remus joined him, making a diamond formation with Remus opposite Regulus, standing at the highest point as the alpha. Sirius and James were either side, making up the flanks and Regulus felt the bond he'd felt from last night thicken and pulse with magic. They joined hands, stood in their formation and Regulus was overcome with emotion.

James' energetic and bright magic rushed into him as Remus' steady but wild magic filled the bond. His brother's magic, so familiar and pulsing with the heat of it's flames roared inside of his core and he trembled. Remus held a hand out and Regulus took it, James and Sirius doing the same. It was done. Their hands were all joined in the centre, eyes all teary as they shared elated looks.

The magic in the air was still high, thick and racing around them in an exuberant manner. Every so often, he'd feel one of them more strongly. James' cheery bubbles popping and fizzling over his hair, Sirius' flames looping around him while Remus' thick blanket draped over him. 

"Pack." Remus growled.

"Pack." James and Sirius echoed.

"Pack." Regulus whispered before dropping to his knees and passing out.

The days that followed were full of love, light and an abundance of laughter.

Euphemia and Fleamont seemed confused at their sudden joviality and excessive closeness, but definitely didn't seem upset. If anything, they seemed overjoyed at the way they all seemed to bounce with excitement, moving in tandem with each other like they'd all been friends for centuries.

Regulus and James had both made sure to have a quick talk, getting all of their nasty, jealous feelings out there and had both admitted that they didn't feel that way anymore. It was if the pack bond had removed all negative feelings between them and Regulus was honestly over the moon to have James Potter in his life. He had another brother now who he loved dearly.

Sirius was as unchanged as ever. At least, between he and Regulus. Sirius himself had been so much happier since he'd admitted his feelings to the Marauders and he only seemed to be improving with the new bond. Sirius had actually loudly questioned why this hadn't happened sooner and Remus had made an odd shrug, worried eyes belying his seemingly genuine confusion.

As for Remus, he had been more at peace than ever. His cheeks were now always full of colour and no longer did he hunch every so often as if remembering he was a poor, half-blood werewolf. Remus was at peace, posture relaxed but with a firmness in his spine that seemed to carry over to his general self. Remus was much sharper now, having no qualms about telling the Marauders what he really felt and he was actually the one to demand they all speak about their Boggarts.

He'd admitted for himself that Regulus was certainly not his biggest fear, but the fact that he could lose control and bite him or kill the Marauders terrified him. Even now he worried, but he said knowing Regulus could always transform helped ease his fears. Remus had looked like he wanted to add something else, but clearly hadn't quite gained that much confidence yet.

Sirius had spoken about his briefly, happily stating that although it would likely always be his biggest fear, he was okay now. He didn't need to bottle things up and as James and Remus had happily reminded him, he had the Marauders on his side no matter what. Regulus had shrugged when it was his turn, only saying that he was happy now and he loved them all so much that the thought of losing them devastated him.

James pulled him close at that, cuddling him into his side and assuring him that they were all there to stay. The older boy had then admitted his fear was similar and that part of the reason he was so eager to help Sirius and Regulus was because he wanted Voldemort dead as soon as possible.

They'd all cleverly avoided mentioning Peter and the fact that he was technically _not_ in the pack. It had been brought up when James questioned why he felt a pack bond now, but before it had barely been existent. Remus had admitted that the reason he was feeling better and the reason for the new feeling of the bond was because the original bond they'd formed when they first started joining him on full moons, wasn't an actual pack bond.

Remus had hurriedly assured them that he'd always known they were pack but they'd never actually formed a proper pack bond. He had said they'd been like a temporary pack, built from closeness and friendship but they were missing a key part of their pack and so had never formed a bond. They'd all turned to Regulus at that who had gone bright red. Remus had then said Regulus was special, he was their missing piece and now they were complete.

James had crowed happily while Sirius pinched his cheeks, making Regulus flush. Remus had quietly assured him that he was more special than he'd know and that he was eternally grateful.

Regulus had noticed another change in Remus, his scars were fading. Well, actually Sirius had noticed this. He'd originally noticed it on himself as he said it was odd that one of the scars Walburga had given him that used to be on his palm had faded out of existence. Regulus had stared at him before lifting his own sleeves and gasped audibly.

James too had then hurriedly checked his knee. The thick scar he'd gotten as a child playing Quidditch was gone and he'd been stunned into silence. Remus had pulled his shirt up, looking at his hip and they'd all blanched at the sight of his werewolf bite fading.

Regulus had teared up at the delight on Remus' face. Apparently that was where Fenrir Greyback had bitten him as a child and to see it fading was much like how Regulus had felt seeing the Dark Mark disappear.

They'd all studied Remus closely as he tearfully admitted that a pack bond had a healing effect on all members. It was why he was less pale and all of their scars were fading, their bodies were healing due to the magic they were now all sharing. For him, the bond was supposedly stronger but as packmates, the other three were feeling it too.

Regulus had been fascinated and had bounced off to the library to read as much as he could. He'd come back into the living area with a large stack of books and had set to work, ignoring the snickering from the others and the word 'swot' being thrown around.

At some point, Regulus had come across a book that mentioned mates in detail and had happily shown the pages to the rest of the boys.

"Moony, we need to find you your mate." Regulus said, nodding down at the pages. The thought made his insides curl with displeasure, but the textbook showed so many positives for the werewolf that he wanted to at least show him how beneficial it would be.

"What!" Remus had squeaked eventually, looking awfully caught in the act. 

James snickered, nudging Remus. "Oh? Who's your mate, Moony old chap?"

Sirius threw a pillow at James. "Stop it, minced meat."

"Oi! You're the stinky mutt that likes to piss-"

"Shut up!" Regulus snapped, tugging on the bond to James and Sirius and making them startle. "This is serious! Do you know the benefits of a werewolf finding their mate?" He hissed.

James scratched his chin, "Uh, no? We read about it a bit, didn't we? But didn't seem that important at the time, we were like, twelve."

"Yeah." Sirius answered, looking thoughtful. "We found maybe _one_ book that was positive about werewolves. It was written by an actual werewolf and they listed all of the- like- good stuff, right?"

Regulus sighed, "How do you manage to sound this dim-witted?"

"It's in my blood." Sirius grinned.

"Uh, back onto the topic?" James snarked, "What's this about Moony finding a mate?"

"Not _a_ mate." He rolled his eyes, _"His_ mate! His one true mate." Regulus waved the book, "Like soulmates."

"Soulmate?" James grinned, "Like me and my Lily-flower!"

Regulus wrinkled his nose, "Certainly not. I'm still not convinced you didn't use a love potion on the poor girl."

Remus coughed, clearing his throat and giving Regulus a pointed look. "Uh, Regulus-"

"No! Seriously, listen." He looked down at the book. "The book says that for a werewolf, finding their mate can only be a good thing!" He insisted, tapping the book to duplicate the pages and sending them flying to each of the boys to read.

"When studying lycanthropy, it is often common to hear the term 'mate'. This term was coined many years ago though the origin is unknown. Werewolves, for many years, were thought to be a myth and the concept of a 'mate' was even more dubious. However, we now have enough knowledge to certify that werewolves do, sometimes, have mates.

Let it be known that not all werewolves have a mate. For many years, werewolf mates were considered a mere fairy tale and were not properly studied. Now, we know that roughly 10% of all werewolves have a fated mate. The numbers may seem low, but this is merely through statistics of those that have actually found their mate. It is highly possible that more werewolves do in fact have a mate but do not meet them in this lifetime.

A mate is, to put it simply, the other half of a werewolf. They have been given many other descriptors such as soulmate, true mate, bonded, heart or ones true love. 

For a werewolf, there is no higher honour than finding ones mate. Not even the call of the moon can be likened to the call of a mate bond. When a werewolf meets their mate, they will be overwhelmed with the need to protect and cherish them. The urge to complete the bond will be high as well, but contrary to popular belief, it does not urge a transformation or make the wolf mindless with the need to mate. It is entirely possible for a werewolf to ignore the pull of the bond, however they will never truly feel satisfied and their wolf will become enraged upon each full moon.

One way that a werewolf may be able to identify if they have a mate is by comparing their transformations to other werewolves. The transformation is supposed to be painful but relatively fast and the wolf will have a need to consume human flesh. Contrary to popular belief, however, they are not mindless and consumed by blood lust.

If a werewolf has increasingly difficult moons and seems to be constantly searching for something or savaging their own form, they likely have a mate.

A werewolf's mate is their utmost priority. They become the centre of the werewolf's world and the need to protect their mate will come above all others. Within a pack, the werewolf's mate will automatically gain a higher status, above any packmates, in the wolf's eyes. However, the mate will still need to prove their worth to the wolf, the pack and to the alpha if the alpha is not the werewolf in question. 

If a werewolf and another werewolf are fated mates, they will both recognise the bond instantly upon meeting. In contrast, when a werewolf has a mate that is a human, the need to mate will only be felt by the werewolf. Humans are unable to feel the pull of the bond unless they too are bitten, though it has been proposed that an Animagus may be able to feel something akin to the mate pull.

Unlike the animal they are related to, werewolves are solely monogamous creatures. A werewolf is physically unable to stray from their mate and once the mate bond is formed, the mate too will be tied to the werewolf for life. Another misconception about werewolves is their shorter lifespan which is untrue in a sense. Werewolves that are mated will live as long as their mates, though, there is a very high risk of mated pairs dying closely together due to the bond's desire to never separate the two.

It is highly unusual for a human and a werewolf to mate, although cases have been documented. It is much more likely for a werewolf to have another werewolf as a mate as both are able to properly form a pack and produce cubs. It is unknown whether or not cubs produced by a werewolf and a human will be infected with lycanthropy, though it is thought to be unlikely. The human and the werewolf both carry enough human genetics to override the possibility of producing werewolf cubs.

Another rarity is for werewolves to actually meet their mate before they become of age. It is much more likely for a werewolf to meet their mate at the age of 20-40 and any time outside of this is considered unlikely. For most werewolves that find their mates, the sensation is likened to finding enlightenment or feeling truly content with ones wolf.

Lycanthropy has no cure, and it is unlikely one will be found. The closest any have come to curing lycanthropy is by studying a werewolf's reaction to their mate. One mated couple showed signs of the werewolf healing, aging much slower, being stronger and healthier as well as showing a deeper connection with ones wolf. This results in easier transformations and it has been theorised that a true mate bond can bring the wolf peace, allowing one to keep their human mind upon transformation.

It is sadly too rare to find werewolves that are open about their mates due to government restrictions on humans and half-breeds intermarrying or producing offspring.

To mate, a werewolf will bite their mate upon a sensitive area of the body. Usually, this is the throat or the collarbone. Wolves are possessive creatures and therefore like to flaunt a mate bond, especially in their packs. An alpha wolf with a true mate is the desired pack leader as their strength, leadership, protective instincts and connection with their wolf is unrivalled. Many mated couples are thought to live very happily with both sides of the bond feeling what has been called 'true love'. 

When the bite takes, the werewolf must lick the wound with their saliva. The mating can be done in human form or during the full moon. However, it must be noted that to mate on the full moon would infect the human mate with lycanthropy. It is unknown why the mate bite does not infect the human when the werewolf is untransformed.

To read more about mating between two werewolves, turn to page 23-"

"Woah." Sirius breathed. "Moony this is..."

Remus swallowed, looking away and James beamed. "This is amazing! It says you'll have easier full moons! And-"

"No." Remus demanded. "No." He said, softer but still firm.

"What?" Regulus hissed, "Why no? Don't you-" His nostrils flared, "Don't you want this? True love?"

Remus shook his head, "Didn't you read it? I'd have to- to bite-"

Sirius smacked the top of Remus' head with the page of the book, "You're a bloody idiot. It literally says that you won't turn your mate as long as you're not Moony when you do it!"

He still shook his head, "Still. I'd be tying them to me for life! Didn't you see the-" He gagged, "If we mated, my mate would die upon my death."

Regulus frowned, "That's not what it says. It says that mates usually die closely to each other. The same would happen if you died first." Regulus pointed out.

"Doesn't matter." Remus muttered, "I won't- I can't- They deserve better."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, "You know. We're operating on the assumption that Remus even has a mate."

"What makes you think he doesn't?" James raised an eyebrow.

Sirius waved the paper, tone slightly cruel as he answered, "It says how rare it is for a wolf to even have a mate, right? Even rare, for them to already have met them." His eyes suddenly darkened as he looked at Remus and Regulus wondered why he seemed so agitated, "Unless, of course, Remus has something to tell us."

The silence that followed sent a spasm through Regulus.

"Moony?" He asked softly, looking at Remus with sad eyes. 

"I-" Remus swallowed. He looked down at the page and nodded, "The- I know who my mate is. It's-" He cleared his throat, "My transformations aren't supposed to be as difficult as they are. When I'd researched it as a child... It's- It's actually supposed to be more like how it is when I play with Padfoot. More- uh, playful. Still dangerous, I mean, if a human ever came too close I'd rip them apart. But I shouldn't be hurting myself or-"

"Or as weak as you used to be." James added sadly. "Moony, why didn't you tell us?"

Remus played with a hole on his trousers and Regulus desperately fought back the need to cry. Just when he'd thought things were looking up, Remus had to drop this utter bombshell on them. On him. Selfishly, he wished he'd never shown them the book. But he couldn't think like that. Remus deserved to find his mate, Regulus' childish crush was nothing.

( _But is it simply a crush?_ )

"I- Well-" Remus coughed, "At first it was because I wasn't certain. It's- The way a werewolf identifies their mate is through a bunch of different ways. The first is through smell. Your mate..." His eyes softened as he looked down at his shoes with a little quirk to his lips, "Your mate smells like heaven, to put it frankly. Utter heaven."

"How else do you identify them?" James asked curiously.

"Scent, like I said. Then the sound of their voice... it's like music. The most beautiful hymn you'll ever hear." His eyes were like melted caramel and Regulus felt a lump grow in his throat. Remus seemed entranced just remembering them. "Then by sight. They'll be utterly beautiful to you. The personification of your type even if you didn't think you had one. And then- the bond."

"Bond?" Sirius asked quietly.

Remus went almost boneless in the chair, "Perfect. You can feel the bond the moment you make eye contact. It's when the bond is first established... I made eye contact and just-" He smiled, eyes glinting. "It was like I'd finally been completed. Like I was an art piece that was missing colour or a storybook with a chapter missing. Just truly complete. Finally."

James cleared his throat, "Finally?"

"I'd been hopeful, I guess you could call it, for a long time." He admitted, staring up at the ceiling. "All my childhood I'd expected the worst. But when I first read about mates, I just hoped, you know? I hoped that although I might not be normal again and I might not be able to go to Hogwarts, that I'd meet my mate and everything would be fine." Remus sighed.

"And wasn't it?" Regulus tilted his head, blinking back the tears in his eyes. There was nothing he wanted more than to break down or run to his room in tears, but he had to be here for his friend. "You seem sad."

"Well, first things first, I smelled them but it was... wrong." Remus wrinkled his nose. "Mixed, diluted."

"In what way?"

Sirius looked slightly accusing, answering before Remus could, "Like you were smelling them on someone else?"

Remus met his eyes, looking sad as he nodded. "Yes." Sirius clenched his jaw and looked away, staring down at his feet and Remus looked like he was tempted to say something else but shook his head.

"Then what?" Regulus whispered. His chest burned and he could feel a sob building but he held firm, Remus needed his friends, not some stupid little brat with a crush on him trying to make him feel bad.

"I was confused." Remus snorted, looking mirthless given the situation but amused by his past self's actions. "I was sure... I don't know. I thought maybe the person I could smell was my mate, but then the scent wore off and I knew better."

"So what happened next?" Sirius clenched his jaw, "Didn't think to tell us, did you?"

Regulus frowned. He wondered what had irritated Sirius so much. James looked between the two with a grimace and Regulus was tempted to ask him. If anyone would spill, it would be him. James Potter was an awful liar. Though he was stubbornly loyal and would probably hex himself silent so he couldn't spill.

"Well after that, I let it go. For a while I thought maybe I'd imagined it." Remus shrugged helplessly, "It wasn't until I actually met them that I knew." Remus dropped his head back, "I made eye contact, everything was perfect-" He let out a broken laugh, rubbing his eyes with the sides of his hands roughly. "Then they looked at me with utter disgust and walked away."

Regulus' heart pounded. Why would anyone do such a thing?

"What?" Sirius frowned, looking terribly confused.

"Looked at me like I was dirt." Remus whispered, "My mate... so _perfect_ and yet even before meeting me, they knew they deserved better. I never bothered to try and get close to them, I only watched from afar." He admitted sadly.

"Well- Well-" Regulus spluttered angrily. "Fuck them!" He hissed. His chest was heaving and he was still heartbroken, but he wouldn't sit here and let Remus think badly of himself.

Remus startled and sent him a panicked look, "What-"

"You heard me! Fuck. Them. They don't deserve you!" Regulus shot to his feet and stomped over to Remus, dropping down beside him, "If- If they can't see what kind of a catch you are, then fuck them! You have us, and- and we might not be your mate but- we're pack. We- We love you Remus. You're kind, considerate, funny, handsome and- and you're the best bloody boy I've ever met and anybody would be lucky to have you!" He insisted, grabbing Remus' hands in his.

Sirius was staring at them both and James seemed to be choking slightly but Remus was staring at Regulus with an intense look.

Regulus felt more determined to prove to Remus just how special he was, but he couldn't get the words out. Sitting this close to the werewolf made his knees weak and his heart was racing. It felt much like it did when the bond was completed and he was left to bask in the afterglow. 

"You- You mean the world to me, Moony." Regulus sniffled, meeting his eyes tearfully. "You're the first friend I ever made. You were so soft and nice and I didn't even bloody _want_ friends but I couldn't say no to you. You're perfect and anyone who doesn't see that- doesn't recognise the truth of your heart- then they don't deserve to be anywhere near you. You deserve everything good in this world, Remus. And- And I'm sorry that your mate is a fucking arsehole-"

"Don't." Remus growled.

Regulus flinched, biting his lip. Tearfully, he nodded, "I- I'm sorry. I just- You deserve better. I shouldn't have insulted them, but it doesn't change the facts that you deserve someone who recognises just how beautiful you are inside and out." He beseeched him, looking up at Remus with tears in his eyes. It hurt, it really hurt. Especially since Remus was still so insistent on protecting them, even to him.

Remus was shaking his head, body trembling as he tensed. "Don't- Regulus-"

"I love you, Moony. I love you more than anything and-" He swallowed, tears trailing down his cheeks, "You mean more to me than you'll ever know. I'm sorry that I'm not your mate but- but I love you." He choked, hands tightening around Remus' as he cried. "I love you so much." He whispered hoarsely, body wracking with his sobs. 

Remus tensed up completely. "What?" He breathed.

Regulus choked on another sob. He hadn't wanted to admit it this way, but he couldn't keep it in. The bond was taught, urging him to be truthful with his pack leader and he could never hide something like this from Remus. Not when he was looking down at him with those honeyed eyes, full of confusion and begging for Regulus to be truthful. He couldn't lie to him, not to his best friend.

Regulus sniffled, looking ashamed. "I'm in love with you." He whispered. Hurriedly, he added. "I don't know how long it's been. I- I didn't even believe myself at first. I just couldn't stop thinking about you and then I realised I always g-get terribly flustered around you. And when y-you started telling me about that girl who was looking down at you for your s-scars I just got so angry! Then I-I realised I was also jealous. And then, well, I started to think about what that could mean, and you're just- you're just so perfect, Remus. Kind, sweet, thoughtful, gentle.. loving, so- _so loving._ You look at me with this soft look in your eyes and my heart flutters or-or when you smirk or tease me, my knees get so weak and-"

He cut himself off when he noticed how awfully still Remus was. In fact, he didn't seem to be breathing. It also dawned on him that he was pouring his heart out with an audience in the room and he recoiled in on himself shamefully.

"I- I'm so sorry. I think- maybe I should go-" He muttered, beginning to stand and feeling his body seizing up as nausea curled in his stomach.

"Sit." Remus demanded, a husky growl in his voice. "Are you being serious right now?" He asked, staring Regulus down.

Perhaps he could deny it. He'd be able to play it off as an odd joke and maybe things would go back to normal. Things wouldn't change irreparably.

But one look at Remus, those beautiful eyes boring into his own with an intensity that made him shiver made him rethink. He couldn't. He could never lie to Remus and he refused to lie about his feelings. His love for Remus was true and pure and he regretted that it may ruin their friendship, but he wouldn't be ashamed of loving this man.

"I- I am. I love you, Remus. I'll never be ashamed of that. You're far too good for someone like me but-"

Remus let out a dry laugh, "Me?" He shook his head, a hand coming up to run along the side of Regulus' face before settling on his jaw. "I think that's you, darling." Tenderly, he met his eyes.

Regulus' toes curled and he felt his stomach swoop. Beside himself, his heart fluttered and his cheeks warmed. "This- What are you-" Why would Remus be so cruel to him? He had a mate, he knew that. So why would he give him this false hope?

"Stupid." Remus muttered fondly, "So ridiculously smart but so bloody stupid, aren't you?" He shook his head, a wild look in his eye. "You really haven't noticed have you? Are you that oblivious?" He mumbled somewhat bitterly.

Regulus gaped for a moment, "What?"

"It's you. You're my mate." Remus whispered, stroking along Regulus' cheekbone with his thumb. "I've been interested from the moment I first saw you. Throughout the years, my interest only grew." He shook his head, "I hadn't even meant to befriend you. Sirius told me you knew about my affliction and I truly did just want to thank you for keeping it a secret. But being that close to you... it was addicting. Then I started to fall for you, beyond the pull of the bond. I fell for the sarcastic, grumpy, adorable little swot that likes to steal my pens and ramble about how precious he thinks house-elves are."

Regulus felt slightly indignant. "I'm not grumpy. And if anyone is a swot-"

Remus laughed, "See? How could I not fall for you. And then I have to sit here and listen to you insult yourself - weird, by the way. But then you started going on and on about how much you don't deserve me which just-" He snorted, "Is utterly preposterous. Have you seen yourself? You're the sweetest little thing wrapped in this sarcastic, slightly angry, shell."

"Not angry." Regulus mumbled.

"You threw a cauldron at Mulciber literally two weeks ago." Remus pointed out, looking utterly endeared and Regulus squirmed.

"He deserved it!" Regulus insisted.

Remus' lips were pulled up in a lopsided smile, he had never looked more beautiful. "See? A little spitfire you are." He said fondly.

"Wait," Regulus frowned, "If I'm your mate then.. I..."

Remus smiled sadly. "It's okay. We didn't know each other. All you saw was a sickly looking upper year with tattered robes. I don't blame-"

"No." Regulus frowned, "I don't think that was it." He tilted his head, closing his eyes and trying to bring that memory back. When he had first began to learn occlumency, he learned to compartmentalise his memories and as long as he had a good start, he could usually locate the memory he needed. It was part of the reason memories sometimes randomly triggered and then appeared perfectly in his mind. Having an organised mind was terribly helpful but it took years of work.

Regulus could see that day perfectly. He watched as his brother rushed off to be with his friends and Regulus stood, a burning envy inside as he saw him bouncing around the compartment with his friends. Later, he'd bumped into Lupin after going to the bathroom on the train and had been thoroughly disgusted by the state of the bathrooms. He'd been grumbling to himself when the taller boy had blocked the small hallway.

Regulus had frowned up at Lupin, confused when he didn't say anything. He continued to wait a moment longer before realising he was familiar, remembering he was in the compartment Sirius had gone into. Regulus had glared at him and shoved past him, muttering to himself as he tried not to lash out or break down in tears and beg to be taken to his brother.

Coming back to the present, Regulus blinked and kicked Remus in the shin. "Idiot! I wasn't looking at you like that! I was confused because you were blocking the hallway and then you just stared at me like a bloody weirdo." He pinched his ear, "Stupid mutt."

Remus hissed, grinning sheepishly. "I guess I was staring a lot. But you can't blame me! You were adorable and I was also thinking to myself that you looked alarmingly like my friend."

"So stupid. You could have told me." Regulus chided.

Remus raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Just as you yourself could have told me about your crush?"

Regulus wrinkled his nose, "Don't use my words against me Lupin. Is that any way to treat your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Remus asked, quirking a brow. A small smirk pulled at his lips and he cocked his head, "Is that what we are, love?"

Regulus squirmed. He hadn't meant to say that. Internally, he was gushing over the casual use of the pet name too. "Well-" He sniffed, "I suppose it would be an adequate form of address."

Remus laughed, "You're such a little brat. Going all pompous." He said, eyes gentle and Regulus fidgeted. "I _suppose."_ He whispered mockingly, leaning in, breath ghosting over his lips. Remus looked at him with a daring look and Regulus' eyes narrowed. 

Taking initiative, Regulus smirked slightly and let their lips brush together, pressing them together firmly but gently. His hands came up to tangle in Remus' hair and felt one of Remus' hands fall to his hip to pull him closer. They kissed softly, gently meeting at the lips as they both pressed closely together, thrilled that this was finally happening.

For Remus, he had been wanting this to happen for months but had been interested in Regulus for years. Regulus however, had been confused by his feelings at first but he knew that there was nothing that could feel as right as this.

They separated slowly, grinning at each other, pink high on their cheeks. Remus still had a hand on his waist with the other cupping Regulus' cheek. Regulus had his hands in Remus' hair, one hand coming down to run along the side of his boyfriend's face.

"Right, that's it-" Sirius jumped to his feet, wand out. "You and me, Lupin. Outside, now."

Regulus startled and pulled away from Remus, looking at the two others in the room that he and presumably Remus had forgotten about. James was wide-eyed as he stared at them, face clearly flushed as he stared at the new couple. Sirius was scowling fiercely, wand practically sparking as he aimed it high at Remus' face.

"Now!"

"Sirius!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!!!!!! The babies are together, how cute! I hadn't actually planned for them to get together when I started writing this chapter - but I'm certainly not upset with how it went.
> 
> I am might worried to post this...
> 
> Did you like..? I thought the bonding thing made sense.. basically Remus needed his mate because he'd already met him and he couldn't form a pack with just James and Sirius because he didn't see Peter as pack (clarification: Moony [the wolf] doesn't see him as pack) and he also needed Regulus as his mate in the pack.
> 
> How sweet!


	29. The Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Sirius chat, much happens and the Marauders begin the full moon.

The events that followed were highly dramatic.

James had started laughing hysterically, crying as he pointed at the shock on the new couple's faces and the anger on Sirius'. He'd slipped off of the chair he had been laughing so hard, clutching his stomach as he choked on his laughter. Sirius had turned to him angrily before stalking closer to Remus, demanding he duel him for Regulus' honour. 

From there, Regulus had angrily insisted that he didn't need to do that and that he was quite capable of looking after himself. Sirius disagreed, clearly Regulus was an innocent baby that had been befouled by the vicious Moony. Remus had rolled his eyes and asked if duelling him would make him feel better, pulling out his wand. 

Sirius had frowned. Perhaps, but not there. They'd have to set a date, he didn't want to risk Euphemia's lovely ornaments.

Remus had rolled his eyes again and happily agreed that once they were back at Hogwarts, they'd fight to the death.

Regulus had stomped his foot angrily and they'd both basically ignored him, letting him pout. James had continued to laugh, wheezing as he thanked the stars for not having to deal with the pining anymore. Apparently, James had known for a while and Sirius had been very put out. So he had just been wilfully blind.

They hadn't brought up the whole 'fated mates' thing again, letting the topic change naturally as Remus and Regulus got very shifty whenever it was mentioned. Sirius had wanted to whine or throw more of a tantrum but he thought back to Grandfather's words and knew he couldn't. He ran the risk of losing both of them if he did that and he loved Regulus and Remus too much to do that.

Besides, with this new pack bond, he felt a lot more comfortable with the idea of them being together. It also helped knowing that they were mates. Remus would never cheat on anyone anyway, far too loyal, but Regulus being his mate just made it literally impossible. They were fated to be together and according to the books, only good could come from the two being together.

Sirius still wasn't completely happy with the new relationship however. Seeing Regulus all giggly and smiley was sweet and it filled his heart to see he and Remus so happy, but did they have to do that together?

Oh well, Sirius tried to let it go. Remus wasn't about to steal Regulus away from him and Regulus wouldn't try to come in between his friendship with Remus.

Logically, he knew that. But it didn't stop him from feeling disgruntled watching the happy couple whisper to each other and giggle.

James had pulled him aside after he'd stowed his wand, giving him a pep talk and trying to reassure him. He didn't need it, honestly, but it was nice knowing James was an unchanged as ever.

Speaking of change, not much differed between the new couple. They were just as close as ever and Sirius for the umpteenth time wondered at how stupid he'd been not to see the gooey looks they sent each other and the way they seemed to be permanently blushing around each other. According to James it was terribly obvious and he'd known for months. He'd even confronted Remus who had stammered a whole bunch and admitted he was completely gone on Regulus.

A part of him had felt betrayed that James hadn't then run and told Sirius, but he knew how loyal James was. He didn't like keeping secrets from friends, but for _another_ friend, he would.

Which, lead onto the next problem. Peter was due any moment and the boys hadn't quite worked out what to do about it. James had said maybe they should show Peter that Regulus had achieved his form out in the clearing, hoping to prompt the bond into adding him. But Remus had immediately shot them down. The werewolf had ashamedly admitted that Moony didn't see Wormtail as a proper member of the pack, not in the way the others were.

It was like this; Sirius and James were Remus' seconds - they were like his knights or his betas - while Peter would be considered an omega as he was the weakest but his wolf didn't even _recognise_ him as a true packmate. Peter was simply a friend of the pack, nothing more. Regulus however was Remus' mate and therefore in the hierarchy of the pack was below Remus but above Sirius and James. It helped that neither of them would ever challenge Regulus for his position, both content to allow the change.

Remus had asked them if they felt any changes and James had embarrassingly admitted he kept wanting to rub his head on things. Apparently it was a normal way to scent things and maintain his antlers and they'd all shared their own annoyances that they were feeling more like their animal selves. Remus had laughed at their grievances, saying they finally knew how he felt all these years.

Sirius refrained from mentioning his urge to scent mark everything as well. Dogs liked to urinate to scent mark, best to keep that to himself.

They'd all agreed that pack cuddles were the best thing in existence however. Pack hierarchy should have meant that Remus and Regulus were in the middle while the two 'guards' flanked them, but Sirius had stared at Remus until he'd moved to the edge of the bed. He may not want to properly challenge Remus, but he would be damned if he wasn't allowed to cuddle his brother. James had also whined a lot, wanting to switch with Sirius sometimes and they'd basically started a rotation, always with Regulus in the middle and either Sirius or Remus attached to him like a Niffler on silver.

James had been worried about Peter however. He'd mentioned several times that he felt it wrong to leave the boy out. So many times had he mentioned it in fact that Remus had ended up snapping at him and telling him it was pointless to worry about it and there was nothing they could do. James had been subdued and Regulus had shyly asked if perhaps they _could_ make Peter pack.

It surprised them all to hear that from Regulus, it was no secret that he and Peter held no love for each other. James had looked appreciative for the support but Remus' strict words had gotten to them all. Remus made it clear again that Moony had never seen him as pack and that wouldn't suddenly change now. To Moony, his pack was complete for the time being.

James had lightened the mood by mentioning how pleased Moony would be on that full moon and Remus had blushed. Regulus had thoroughly chastised the werewolf for denying himself his mate, not only all those years but in the recent months of their friendship. Remus' bright red face and Regulus grouchy expression had made him and James laugh, only stopping when the floo sounded.

It had annoyed Sirius that Grandfather never told them what happened at the Wizengamot session, insisting he'd been spelled silent. However, he had hinted enough in his letters that Regulus had surmised there must be a new law coming in to play and that it must be important if they'd all had to keep their silence. That meant that it was something they didn't want getting out. James had nodded, adding that if enough purebloods had banded together with time to recruit, they'd have been able to stop the law.

None of them needed to say it, that meant it was something that Voldemort wouldn't like. Whatever it was, if it was bad news for Voldemort, it was hopefully good news for them. Or at least, for the innocent people being murdered daily.

When the floo roared, Sirius wanted to make up an excuse to avoid Peter. It was odd and it was very wrong, but ever since Regulus had first mentioned his distrust of the boy, he'd felt a distance suddenly come between them. It wasn't even because of Regulus. However, Regulus' words and his pointed remarks about his Animagus form had sown the seeds of discontent and Peter's odd actions and behaviour had only made the chasm grow.

Peter was weirdly distant and at first he'd been sure it was just with him because of Regulus, but James and Remus had both agreed that Peter was acting oddly. When Peter had mentioned his new friends, they'd all been ecstatic for him. Peter had always struggled to stand on his own and Sirius had worried that with Regulus in their group, he'd feel left out. By having a new group of friends, at least he would have more people on his side. And although Sirius felt oddly about Peter now, he still cared about him and wanted him to be happy.

It didn't stop him from wanting to do something stupid like bare his teeth or growl at the boy when he came into the parlour.

Remus had gone oddly stiff as well, angling himself slightly in front of Regulus and Sirius hated being so far from his brother. He needed to be closer to him, he needed it. If someone were to attack, he'd be too far to protect him. What kind of a brother was he? 

What kind of a guard was he?

Thinking that, Sirius blinked. He looked and saw James discreetly putting his wand away and Remus slowly untensed. Oh, so he hadn't been the only one affected. Regulus looked like he wanted to curse something, looking annoyed with himself for hiding slightly behind Remus and clenching his hand over his pocketed wand.

Peter blinked, "Hello guys?" He said, looking confused.

James, ever the sociable creature, brightened immediately. "'Ello mate!" He cheered, stalking closer to clap a hand on Peter's shoulder. "How've you been?"

"Oh, uh, can't complain." Peter shrugged, looking around at the others. When he lingered longer on Regulus, Sirius felt that phantom feeling of his hackles raising and he fought it down. Regulus blinked at him and Peter looked away.

"Oh!" James said, smacking his head. "Sorry, it's new. Reggie and Remus are together now."

Peter startled, "Huh?"

Remus grinned, looking lighter than ever and Sirius wanted to stomp his foot petulantly. It was hard to hate the fucker dating his baby brother when Remus looked so happy just being around him. He wrapped his arm around Regulus tightly, giving a slightly feral grin, "Yep. It's only been a day but it's been the best day of my life." His eyes were slightly challenging as he stared at Peter and Sirius felt a chill.

That stare wasn't just from one friend to another. It was from a wolf protecting his pack. Protecting his _mate._

Regulus laid a hand on Remus' leg, smiling up at him. "It's been brilliant and I have all the confidence in the world that it will only get better. Though, Sirius and Remus will be having a stupid duel first." He huffed.

Sirius snorted, "Stupid, he says. Don't come crying to me when I mess up your boyfriend's face!"

"You wish!" Remus snickered, "You'll want to fix your aim first."

Sirius gaped, "You _bastard,_ I'll-"

"Do nothing." Regulus threatened, eyes narrowed. "You'll both be on your best behaviour and once you've gotten your ridiculous little contest over and done with, I shan't be hearing any more of this."

James chuckled, muttering beneath his breath and Sirius smacked his arm as he passed. "Ouch. Prick." He grumbled, dropping onto the sofa and gesturing for Peter to do the same. "Oh! I just realised, have you told your grandfather?" He asked Regulus.

Regulus straightened, blinking quickly. "Oh... no. No, I haven't." He twisted his hands, "Oh no."

"What's up, love? He won't be upset, surely." Remus assured him, rubbing a hand down his back.

Regulus bit his lip, looking beseechingly at Sirius who raised both hands, "No way. It's coming from _you,_ little one. He'll be upset if I'm the one to tell him."

His brother pouted, silver eyes widening and Sirius sternly shook his head. Regulus scowled before he wriggled and transformed, curling up by his feet in tiny, fluffy fox form. The silver of his eyes were enhanced by the dark fur around his little face and Sirius felt himself melting. Petting the top of Regulus' head, he shook his head.

"You need to do it, puppy." Sirius whispered, "He loves you. He won't be upset."

Regulus let out a pitiful whine, rubbing against Sirius' legs.

"What the-" Peter squeaked, looking down at Regulus with wide eyes. "Since when have you been an Animagus?" He looked slightly offended at the others and Sirius grimaced.

Regulus sniffed, looking away from Peter and nipping at Sirius before sauntering out of the room, bushy tail swishing. James stared after him and whistled, "Good thing Mum and Dad are out. They'd have a heart attack." James suddenly smirked and looked at Peter, "Come with me, Petey boy. Let's get your stuff put away and get Bumble to whip us up something to eat."

Sirius watched confusedly as James winked at him before he straightened and narrowed his eyes at Remus. Sirius mentally sent a thank you to his best friend, especially as Remus closed his eyes tiredly, clearly already anticipating this. James Potter was a demon, really and truly. Sirius bloody loved him for it.

Remus clearly disagreed as he opened his eyes and looked at Sirius warily. Standing, Sirius straightened his shirt and scrutinised Remus from where he was stood. The parlour was completely silent, only the sounds of James banging around upstairs and Peter whining about his trunk getting damaged could be heard and he was thankful for James' foresight to wait until Regulus would be distracted.

He wouldn't approve of Sirius being mean to his boyfriend.

"So," Sirius started, pulling out his wand, delighting in the way Remus tensed. "Now, now. I'm not going to hurt you Moony." He flicked his wand and heard the door slam, the lock clicking shortly after. Flicking it again, a silencing charm went up and Sirius smiled down at Remus.

"Really?" The werewolf asked tiredly. "Now?"

"Yep!" Sirius cheered. Plopping himself opposite Remus, he crossed his legs and looked at him seriously. "Now. Tell me, Remus John Lupin, why you seem to think you're good enough for my precious baby brother."

Remus stared at him. "Really, Pads?"

Sirius scowled, "Sounds like you don't have a good reason. Interesting."

Remus rubbed a hand across his face, looking at Sirius with a weary resignation. "You are ridiculous."

"This isn't looking good for you, Lupin. You think this is tough, wait 'till Lord Black comes down on your furry arse." Sirius warned.

Remus paled, "Fuck. Fuck I hadn't even - Oh shit." He muttered.

Sirius smirked, "So, let's get this over and done with. Think of it as practice. I actually hold some affections for you, Moony. But Grandfather only sees a mangy mutt trying to take his grandson's hand."

Mouthing silently, Remus shook his head. "Right, right. Wait, isn't it a little early to talk about marriage?"

"So you don't think Regulus is worth becoming your husband." Sirius tutted, "Not adding points in your favour here."

"What? Of course he is! It's just-" A bright red flush crept across his neck, crawling up to his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "We've only just gotten together, Sirius. Trust me, if it were up to me, I'd have him for life."

Sirius tilted his head, that was good. "Hm." Is all he replied, scrutinising the werewolf. "What is it about Regulus that you love?"

Remus pinkened further, scrunching his nose slightly as a little smile pulled at his lips. "He's... enchanting. Utterly bewitching. At first, I'll admit, it was just the whole mate thing. But then... we would find ourselves talking for hours about everything and nothing. I'd watch his eyes light up and hear him laugh and I'd think that I never wanted to see him sad. He's too beautiful for frowning. And-" Remus shook his head fondly, "One time, we were down by the kitchens and he hexed one of the older Gryffindors for being mean to one of the house elves and insulting her food. I could see this fire in his eyes and I thought about how sexy-"

"Right, okay." Sirius wrinkled his nose, "None of that, Lupin. Go back to being mushy."

Coughing, Remus nodded. "Sorry. Uh- he's just... everything, you know? Sweet, fiery, passionate... but there's this edge to him. He's damaged and he has this thorny shell to protect himself but once you get past the grouchy frowns, the little pouts and the penchant for violence-" Sirius snorted, Reggie _had_ become quite the belligerent little fox. "Yeah, that. Once you get past that, he's all soft and cuddly and just.. precious, you know? I hold him in my arms and I think about how lucky I am to be given such an honour to have someone so sweet and delicate - and then he'll do something like knee Crabbe in the balls and I fall even harder."

Sirius refrained from snickering. He didn't want Remus to get too confident. "Oh? You're just giving me more reasons that Regulus is too good for anyone really." He sniffed. Truly, he always knew this day would come. It was only a matter of time before someone realised just how great Regulus was and wanted to snatch him up. But he hadn't expected to actually be secretly rooting for the relationship to work. He'd always assumed he'd use one of Cassie's faithful potions and comfort his baby brother after the fucker inevitably died.

Perhaps it _was_ better that he was loosening his hold on Regulus. Thoughts like that definitely weren't healthy.

So, yes. It was a good thing that things were changing.

Not too much though.

"I- I honestly don't disagree with you there." Remus started, scratching behind his ear. "I think Regulus is.. a true star. A bright, beautiful, shining star that fell from the skies one day. His beauty is ethereal, his mind is wicked and he embodies what 'alluring' means." Remus sadly shook his head, "Nobody deserves him. Even less so, someone like me. But.. though I may not be able to give him much in terms of money or property value-"

"I don't care about that." Sirius snapped. The thought of someone wanting Regulus and trying to buy his affections made him sick. Regulus deserved better and he'd always dreaded the day Mother would draw up a betrothal contract and sell Regulus off to someone else.

"I know. And I commend you for that. When you used to talk about your worries for Regulus, I had to try so hard to keep quiet. When you told me about her wishes to betroth him to that bloody Parkinson chit-" He growled, glaring daggers at the wall. "Pretty sure that was one of the worst moons I'd gone through. Moony and I were in agreeance that we couldn't let that happen, but I was too scared to approach him. What do I have to offer? As a penniless, half-breed with no social standing." Remus said bitterly.

Sirius frowned. It may be hard for him to accept, but he truly did want Remus and Regulus to work out. Something which would be difficult if Remus was so insecure.

As if sensing his thoughts, Remus suddenly smiled. "However. As I said, what I may not be able to offer him in terms of materials or fortune, I hope I can make up for in other ways. My heart is Regulus'. It's as simple as that. I would do anything to see him smile, I'd never stop trying to make him happy and in whatever endeavour he wanted to go on, I would be right there beside him. If not that, you can bet your hide that I'll be cheering him on from the side lines. I can - and will - give him my heart, my love, my _life._ I'd give him the clothes off my back and the shoes off my feet. I'd do anything for him." Remus whispered, eyes passionate and full of a burning desire that Sirius rarely saw in his mild mannered friend.

"Okay." Sirius accepted, nodding his head. "Good. Keep it that way, Lupin." He said seriously before flicking his wand, bringing Remus toe-to-toe with himself. Sirius dug the point of his wand into the werewolves neck, "Because if you don't, I swear on my life and on my magic, Moony, I'll make your existence hell." He promised.

Remus' eyes widened, "Was that-"

"Yes. I mean it, Remus. I love that kid more than you could ever imagine. If you ever, and I mean _ever,_ hurt him, I'll boil you alive in a vat of undiluted Bubotuber pus. Have I made myself clear?" Sirius asked lightly.

Remus met his eyes, "Crystal. I've always respected that about you, you know? Pissed me off something fierce when you ditched him at Grimmauld." Remus admitted.

Sirius swallowed, he hated thinking back to that time. "Oh? You never said anything. Some _mate_ you are."

Remus gave a sharp grin, "Some _brother_ you are." He replied evenly.

A few moments of silence went by. They stared each other down, grey on amber. The bond between them fizzled, stirring to life as it recognised a challenge between the pack alpha and the previous alpha of his mate. Sirius had been Regulus' sole guardian for years as Walburga wasn't fit to be, therefore Sirius was the closest thing Regulus had to an alpha. A parent. That was, before he and Remus formed a pack together. The silence continued for a moment longer before they both relaxed.

"Good man, Moony." Sirius nodded, appreciative. 

"I aim to please, Padfoot." Remus grinned, "I meant it though, I've always admired your love for him. And- You should know, Regulus and I being a couple won't- I would never get in the way of that." He said seriously.

Sirius smiled, relaxing further into the chair. "I know. I do. It's just hard, thank you for understanding." He smiled softly, "You did good. But my threat still stands."

"From an alpha, I truly do respect that." Remus met his eyes and Sirius could almost believe he was talking directly to Moony. To the wolf hidden behind Remus' calm mannerisms and gentle hugs. "Protecting your pack is admirable. To protect your brother so fiercely, I admire you greatly for that. You've protected my mate, all on your own, for years. Let me help you."

Sirius swallowed. To him, there was almost no higher compliment. His friends meant the world to him and this was so much more than simply being told he'd done good on an essay. The leader of his pack, his alpha, was recognising his efforts to protect his little brother. He was being acknowledged for the years of agony and torture he'd endured to save Regulus from even an ounce of pain. 

Raising his chin and ignoring the burning in his eyes, Sirius nodded. "Thank you, alpha." He tacked on the title at the end and was pleased when Remus seemed to rumble slightly, relaxing into his chair and the intensity in his eyes dimmed. "Take care of him." Sirius whispered.

"I will. I swear to you, I will."

Later, Regulus would come back and wonder why Remus and Sirius seemed closer than ever. He would be confused but pleased for the change. The awkward tension between the two had upset him and seeing the two most important people in his life getting along, filled him with warmth. James' smug little smile and the way he bounced on his feet would make Regulus suspicious, but a kiss to the cheek from Remus and a hair ruffle from Sirius would distract him.

When they were in the compartment to go back to school, the mood was subdued.

For the Marauders, this would be their final time going to Hogwarts on the train. Ever. James was huffing, leaning against the wall nearest the door and complaining loudly about getting old while Peter fidgeted next to him and looked desperately through his Transfiguration essay that James had looked over for him the night before. Sirius was opposite James, running his hands through Regulus' hair who was laying with his head in his lap. Remus had Regulus' feet in his lap and he was enjoying tracing patterns on his calves to make him squirm. 

Every so often, Regulus would sniffle slightly and the others would pretend not to notice. At least, they did for a while, until Sirius got sick of it and tugged his hair.

"Stop it." He chided, "Nobody's going to separate us for good. We've still got a couple months until we leave anyway. Stop crying." 

Regulus huffed, pressing his face into Sirius' thigh, "'M not crying." He insisted.

Remus tapped him on the ankle with a smile on his face, "You are a little, love."

Sniffling again, Regulus kicked out at him softly. "Supposed to be on my side." He whined.

Letting out a dramatic sigh, James brought the attention to him. "Shut up, Pads. As if you're not going to sob like a bloody baby when it comes time for graduation."

"Says you! You're more emotional than I am!" Sirius hissed, running his fingers through Regulus' hair soothingly. 

"Yeah, but I don't pretend like I'm not because I'm not an emotionally constipated twat." James said primly, "Anyway. Reggie, don't be sad. We'll send you letters everyday and we'll even send Howlers just for the fun of it." He promised.

Regulus whined, "No! Don't do that." He turned slightly to give him a glare. "I'll kill you."

Tutting, Remus shook his head. "You should know better. That's only going to encourage the prat."

"He says, as if he won't be sending love letters every five seconds." James snickered, "You'll probably enchant them to sing."

Sirius laughed, "Hypocrite. Who's the one that spent years trying to woo Evans by-"

"Um! I think you'll find all of us are in relationships except you, Sirius. So no making fun! I got the girl of my dreams anyway." James said smugly, wriggling in place.

Wrinkling his nose, Sirius scoffed. "Like I'd want to be in a bloody relationship." He shook his head, tugging Regulus' hair at his scalp. 

Frowning, Regulus looked up at him. "How come you don't have anyone? I want to give them a stupid brother speech like I know you've done with Moony. Oh! I could even challenge them to a ridiculous duel like you did."

Shrugging, Sirius patted him on the forehead. "Just don't. I don't need anyone, nor do I want anyone." He shrugged again, "Never really been my thing. Don't worry, just means I have more love to give all of you." He cooed, leaning down to smack a wet kiss on his nose.

Regulus groaned, "Stop slobbering on me!" He whined. "Moony, help." He complained and Remus pinched his ankle. "You're all _awful."_

Remus grinned and smacked at Sirius, "Leave the baby alone."

"I am _not_ a-"

"Just you wait until we get to the Room, I'll kick your mangy arse." Sirius warned, "No telling me not to kiss my ickle puppy."

Regulus huffed, "I might as well talk to myself." Rolling his eyes, Regulus pulled himself up and sat properly in between them. "Also, I've been meaning to ask. What's my Marauder nickname?"

Beaming, James sat straight up. "I am very glad you asked! I have a whole list of ideas-"

"And you can scrap all of them. What's wrong with puppy?" Sirius pouted, turning from James to Regulus.

Making a face, Regulus shrugged. "Uh, well nothing. But it's just sort of unoriginal. Besides, foxes are usually kits or cubs. A puppy is-"

"A baby dog. Yes. It's perfect. You're my ickle puppy." Sirius insisted. A part of Regulus wanted to complain, he was certainly no puppy, but he knew how Sirius really felt about this. The real reason Sirius liked the nickname was because it was as if he truly was Sirius pup, his child, in a way. Honestly, Regulus basically was. Sirius was a weird mix of friend, brother and parent, so it wasn't like the idea didn't have merit.

"No!" James whined, kicking his feet childishly. "Listen; Kitten, Fluffy, Pearl, Silver-"

Reeling back, Regulus looked at James incredulously. "Kitten?" He demanded. "I'm a bloody fox you-"

"Makes sense." Remus nodded solemnly and Regulus turned his ire on his boyfriend. Remus raised his hands placatingly at the look, "Hey, I'm just saying. Fox cubs are often called 'Kits' right? So 'Kitten' _could_ make sense."

"Stop treating me like a baby!" Regulus hissed, turning to all of them. "I'm not a baby!"

"You're our baby." James cooed, leaning over to poke at Regulus cheek who slapped his hand away. "It's true! You're the baby of the pack." At Regulus' continued glare and the 'save yourself' look that Sirius was giving him, James relented. "Alright, alright. But, 'Fluffy' yeah?"

"Fluffy makes sense too. He's all squishy and cute." Sirius ruffled his hair. "Might be a bit confusing in his human form though, Reggie's hair is almost always impeccable."

 _"Almost?"_ Regulus growled, glaring up at Sirius. "It's your bloody fault with your incessant ruffling-"

"Why are short people always so angry." James muttered. Now, if it hadn't been for Regulus newly acquired hearing range, he likely wouldn't have heard it. But as it was, he was a fox Animagus and had impeccable senses now. Turning to James with narrowed eyes, he watched as James startled. "Oh. Uh. Um, how about 'vixen'?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

Snorting, Remus shook his head. "Digging yourself an even bigger hole here, Prongs."

"To be honest," Regulus huffed, "There aren't many words associated with foxes."

Sirius whistled, "Puppy, puppy, puppy." He sang.

"Fine! For now, that's my name." Regulus acquiesced. Mainly, he only said it to shut Sirius up, but the beaming grin on his brother's face made him relax slightly. "Besides, it's not like you'll be calling me it all that often anyway."

From where he was cleaning his glasses with his shirt, tongue peeking out, James frowned at him slightly. "Why not?"

Regulus shrugged, "Siri's always calling me one of his random nicknames. Moony's taken to calling me pet-names and you usually just call me 'Reggie'." 

Putting his glasses back on, James nodded. "'S true."

"Pet names." Remus muttered. "Should start calling you sunshine."

Regulus winked up at him, "I _am_ scorching hot."

Sirius groaned, "No. None of that. I've told you." He moaned, "But also, true. I like calling you everything _but_ your actual name, Mother would just about die."

Regulus laughed, "That's also true, she hated nicknames." He turned to the others, "Whenever Siri called me 'Reggie' she used to lose her mind."

"Gave up hexing me 'cause it happened so often." His brother snorted, "Oh well."

Remus grimaced, "She sounds... lovely."

"She's an old sack of wrinkles." Sirius sneered. After a moment of silence, Sirius hummed. "You know, I'm a little disappointed in Reggie's form."

James snickered, "You just wanted him to be a dog."

"Like you weren't hoping for an animal similar to yours!" Sirius threw a chocolate frog box at him, "You're outnumbered now Prongs. Three canines to one ugly - uh-" He turned to Regulus and Remus.

"Cervidae or Cervinae depending on if you mean his specific sub-family." Regulus supplied, "Though, technically, foxes-"

"He gets the point." Sirius waved a hand at James. 

Huffing, James made a rude gesture at him. "I happen to think that Reggie being a fox makes perfect sense. And! It's a brilliant Marauder form. Foxes are known to be sly, cunning and best of all, _tricksters."_ He grinned. Looking appreciative at Regulus he flicked a hand at him. "See! We should have made him a Marauder much sooner."

"I think you're forgetting that we used to hate each other, Potter." Regulus rolled his eyes, tone dry.

"Not anymore though! Plus, if we'd have gotten through all of our drama sooner, you and Moony would likely already have little wolf-fox babies running around."

Sirius gagged and Remus laughed, "I think you've forgotten how biology works."

Regulus ignored Sirius who was mumbling something about being an uncle and focused on James, "Thank you, James. I happen to like my form too." He said, bringing the topic back to focus.

"Oh I'm not saying it doesn't make sense." Sirius assured, seeming to have gotten over his mild bout of hysteria. "It's just - whatever. Trust me, I know it makes sense. I did research too! Foxes are wily, yes, but they're also very shy and don't do well around strangers or large crowds." 

Remus wrapped an arm around Regulus, "They also get attached to those they consider family and friends and are very good protectors. Foxes are also passionate, playful and creative. Smart little buggers, too." He added.

Humming, Regulus curled into Remus slightly, despite his wishes to remain unaffected. "My form's perfect." He boasted. Peter made an odd face and Regulus blinked. Somehow, he'd forgotten the boy was there, he'd been completely silent as they all interacted and he was just so easy to overlook.

"Certainly, darling." Remus muttered, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. Regulus flushed, he loved how easy affection was with Remus. Never did he feel the need to hide or flinch away, though sometimes he'd get a little too overwhelmed and need a moment to himself. Remus was always very good at allowing him his space and never felt offended when Regulus asked to spend some more time with Sirius instead. Only happily nodding and allowing Regulus to go as he pleased.

Curling closer into his boyfriend's warmth, Regulus let his eyes fall closed for a short nap. The sounds of his brother and James bickering lulling him to sleep.

Grandfather had sent a missive to inform them of the upcoming events. 

Firstly, the Horcrux hunt would continue in the summer as he was sure he had a closer idea as to where to locate the Horcrux near the coast. As for the one in Hogwarts, he and Sirius (and now Remus and James) were to search the castle as they saw fit. Providing, of course, that they did not let it take their focus off of their exams.

Secondly, in a very dramatic manner, a letter was sent to Regulus' boyfriend. In fact, it was done in such a theatrical way that all those in the Great Hall knew, or had a strong inkling, to what happened. One morning, right after all of the owls had delivered their post, three large black ravens swooped into the hall.

Sirius and Regulus had immediately locked eyes, knowing what that meant. All of the staff and the pureblood students had all stiffened, watching with wide-eyes as the three ravens of the Black family coat of arms swooped into the dining hall. They all circled the Gryffindor table and many of the supporters of Voldemort seemed excited to see what would happen. Probably hoping it would be a Howler or formal disownment to one of the Black brothers.

As if.

Mutterings and whispers had riddled the hall, stories and ideas being passed along the benches. It went utterly silent as one of the ravens took a steep dive, aiming straight for the boys. In it's claws, was an elegant scroll tied with silver ribbon on black parchment. Again, theatrical. Sirius and Regulus had watched as the scroll was left on Remus' plate and the whole hall waited in anticipation.

Remus had stared at the scroll before steeling himself, untying the ribbon swiftly, using all of his Gryffindor courage to stay firm as he unrolled the parchment. Regulus had eagerly scrutinised Remus' expression, watching the mild worry disappear and be replaced by determination. Remus had then pulled out a quill and signed the parchment which then disappeared with a soft swishing sound. The three ravens all crowed together before they too disappeared, leaving a single black feather behind on Remus' plate.

The Marauders had rushed up to the dorm, demanding to know what had been written. Remus had happily informed them that Lord Black in all of his terrifying glory, demanded he attend a meal at Black Manor in the summer. When he'd said the date, Sirius and Regulus had both been baffled. Grandfather was asking Remus to attend the family dinner that he had said would be entertaining for them as he had some surprises.

However, as Regulus pointed out, Remus couldn't be the surprise as they hadn't been together at the time. James, Sirius and Peter had all been perplexed, but Remus looked anxious. A meal with not only Lord Black, but the whole Black family? Regulus would have pitied a weaker man, but Remus was strong and his stubbornly set jaw filled Regulus with emotion. He knew there was a reason he'd fallen for him.

James had complained that he'd be stuck on his own but Sirius had said he'd write to Grandfather and see if James would be allowed as his plus one. 

As the days went by, not much changed in Hogwarts. They tried to spend as much time searching as they could, but the Room was impossible to predict. One time when they'd been searching, James had apparently been thinking of Lily too much and suddenly they were in a meadow of lily flowers. Another time, Sirius had clearly been wanting to run as Padfoot to get rid of the stress and a bunch of chew toys appeared. It was frustrating and borderline impossible.

Another slightly annoying thing, was Peter Pettigrew.

The boy seemed to have caught on to the new closeness between the others and clearly didn't like it. His attitude had plummeted and although they were all still friendly, there was an undercurrent tension in the group. He disappeared and reappeared much more often too and he could tell the others were disheartened by this. A cruel, vicious part of him wanted to be delighted, but he truly pitied Peter. It can't be nice being 'replaced' in your friendship group, but the boy wasn't exactly helping himself either.

Sirius had quite plainly stated to all of them that although he loved Peter, his bad attitude was getting to him. If he was going to behave poorly, he may as well stay with his new friends. James had gotten very angry at this and Remus had needed to mediate for a moment, trying to get the two stubborn idiots to see each other's sides. 

As for Regulus, he had quite happily sat on Sirius' bed, sipping his drink and flicking through a Quidditch magazine while the idiots battled it out verbally.

The days leading up to the full moon were interesting to say the least.

Peter was still disappearing at odd hours, something which greatly annoyed Sirius. He just didn't understand why the boy was being so difficult. If that wasn't enough, he'd come back all shifty and kept giving Regulus these looks which made Sirius want to tear his throat out. Out of all of them, Regulus was the least affected by this, but it still rankled him.

A part of him thought this was largely provoked by the pack bond. In fact, James and Remus had both admitted that the pack bond was urging them to protect, while Regulus seemed largely unaffected. Remus had said that the final step was this first full moon and that after this, they'd all likely be completely bonded. Enough that they'd be able to sense each other's emotions.

Remus had soothed them all that it would lessen over time and that their animal instincts would become easier to control, but until the moon, they'd just have to put up with it. He wasn't the only one struggling, James had been in detention already for headbutting Snape, something that he'd been prompted to do due to his instincts. Apparently the greasy prick had said something nasty about Regulus and Lily (who had taken to studying together) and James had overheard when he went to check on them in the library.

Remus, luckily, had many years of controlling his animalistic urges. Therefore, he was much better handled to acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but he had taken to growling whenever anyone came too close to any member of the pack. It had actually frightened Peter. Supposedly, James had a pretty bad nightmare about his parents dying and it had caused Remus to wake up on edge. Peter had climbed off his bed to see Remus glowering at him, barely holding back a growl.

Sirius himself had noticed that although he'd always been protective of Regulus, it had gotten more intense. If anyone said anything about any member of his pack, he'd already have his wand drawn and his teeth bared, a hex on his tongue. It had gotten so bad that when he'd overheard one of the Slytherins in the year below him, laughing at Regulus and Remus ( _blood traitor scum and an impoverished half-breed_ ) he'd almost cast an Unforgiveable.

Luckily, this had happened late in the courtyard and no teachers were around. James had hurriedly pulled Sirius away after silencing him before he could finish the incantation. Remus and Regulus had guided them up to the Room where they'd spent the night cuddling as a pack. James as Prongs with Sirius' head on his side, using the stag as a pillow with Regulus as a little fox curled up in his lap. Remus had been beside Sirius, massaging his scalp.

Peter hadn't been around to be invited, citing he had been in the library all night when they'd asked the next morning. _Oh well_ , Sirius had shrugged it off. But he was _certain_ they'd checked the map and hadn't seen him in there. Hm.

After the incident, Remus had grimaced and said he only hoped this full moon would be easy on them all. There was a chance that with a newly formed pack, Moony may be a bit too overexcited. They way he'd then clutched onto Regulus worried Sirius.

Logically, it made sense that Moony would be overjoyed at the prospect of running with his mate. He would also finally have a proper pack and he'd be running with them too. So, he knew, Moony would likely be elated.

Seeing it however, was another thing.

The day of the full moon, the Marauders had all been quiet. Sirius had made sure to sneak down to the infirmary with Regulus and stocked up on potions and healing supplies in case things went bad. Peter - on Remus' orders - had gone to the kitchens and had the elves make a small basket of food. He'd been petulant when he came back upstairs, apparently the elves had only agreed because Peter had mentioned that it would be for Regulus. 

James and Remus had taken the time to put up wards around the Forbidden Forest with Regulus' help. When they'd first told him about their little full moon hijinks, he'd been extremely upset with them. Smacking them all multiple times and insisting that they do not leave the shack until he had created some boundary lines that would protect possible passers by.

Regulus had cleverly constructed four corner stones, sending the two off into the woods to place them a certain amount of distance from each other. Regulus had then stood at the main point, taken a drop of blood from each of them, and keyed them into the wards. He had insisted that with this, nobody but the five of them would be able to cross once the moon was out. Interestingly, he'd managed to ensure that the boundaries would only activate on the night of the full moon.

Remus had kissed Regulus enthusiastically, citing his relief that he wouldn't need to worry about hurting others. His brother had gone bright red and Sirius had fought down the urge to spew his lunch.

Did they have to be so agonisingly sappy all the time?

Lily Evans had frequently teased them, mentioning how cute they were and complaining to James that he wasn't that sweet on her. Unfortunately for the red-head, James had taken this as a challenge and had practically attached himself to her for at least three full days until she'd thrown a Charms textbook at him.

As the sun began to set, the Marauders all anxiously began to prepare. Sirius could only hope that this moon wouldn't be too harsh. It was Regulus' first full moon experience and he knew that even on a good day they were utterly exhausting. For Remus, it would be even worse. But he had high hopes for the night being good to them. The research they'd done indicated only good things, so there was that, at least.

Lily had stared at them sceptically when they all hurried out of dinner early. Regulus was adamant that Lily knew, saying she was too smart and too observant to not have put it together. Remus had piped up that she was just like him then. From there, they'd gotten all gooey and mushy so Sirius had quite pointedly turned away and started a loud conversation with one of the portraits.

Creeping through the halls with five people was a very welcome change. Sneaking around had been easy as four small firsties with an invisibility cloak, but they'd never known true stealth that young and had to be careful not to be too loud or push too much. With the map and Peter's Animagus form, it was much easier. Now, although they had a whole extra person, Regulus was light on his feet and small enough he could be human or a fox.

This time, they wanted everything to go right. Regulus and Peter had transformed in the dorms, Peter being put in James' pocket and Regulus happily burrowing into Sirius' arms. Remus, as the tallest, held the cloak over them all, standing in the middle as they walked as one through the halls and out into the night. 

Going past the tail end of the Black Lake, Regulus whined softly, hiding his face in Sirius' chest. He whispered softly to his brother, noticing Remus getting antsy at his mate's distress. Peter squeaked loudly as James suddenly pulled them to a stop just as they were passing the vegetable garden and the greenhouses.

"What-" Sirius whispered.

"Snape!" James hissed, pointing ahead of them. 

Roughly twenty feet ahead, Severus Snape was emerging around the back of one of the greenhouses. The largest, and considered completely off limits, was right by a thick oak tree. Obscured slightly by the dim light, it was difficult to see him. It was only the use of their Animagus senses that helped them see him and Sirius frowned at the sight of him. A small cut was still on his forehead from where James had solidly headbutted him, and Sirius wondered why he was here.

Soft shushing noises and rustling sounded from behind Snape and Sirius raised his eyebrows when a few of the other Slytherins the boy was friends with appeared. Remus growled softly, teeth bared as he narrowed his eyes at the threat and Regulus wriggled frantically in his arms. Hurriedly, Sirius passed Regulus off to Remus who quieted as Regulus licked his jaw softly.

James' jaw was clenched as he stared at the Slytherins, cutting Sirius a look. They _couldn't_ engage. They had to keep moving to the tree. But whatever was going on here wasn't good. The greenhouses were off limits to all students at this hour, and that greenhouse specifically was Professor Sprout's private little home for her most deadly or expensive plants.

With a jerk of his head, Sirius motioned for them to continue. James looked annoyed but understanding and Remus was too busy snuffling at Regulus' neck to care, but they had to keep going. If they stayed even a moment longer, they risked being exposed and from there he knew Snape would jump at the chance to get them in trouble. Especially on the night of the full moon.

It was odd that Snape would be crawling around the grounds on this night. Considering he knew that Remus was a werewolf and was therefore completely petrified of him, he must be doing something of paramount importance to risk his head.

James glanced around for a moment before he set Wormtail on the ground. Once settled on the grass, Wormtail sped off towards the tree, scurrying to the area beneath as the Marauders acted as lookouts. The Whomping Willow, which had previously began lashing a few branches at Wormtail's entry into it's space, froze in place. Hurrying along, the Marauders dashed as quickly as they could to the burrow beneath the tree, only just managing to get into the little passageway before the creaking of the willow tree above them started up again.

Regulus wriggled out of Remus' arms, shifting back and cupping his face. "Calm, Moony. We're all okay."

"Stench." Remus growled, "Filthy- Dark." He muttered, rubbing the side of his face against Regulus'. Sirius noticed Regulus looked anxious, but did a brilliant job of calming Remus down.

"Come, Moony, love." Regulus whispered, tugging his boyfriend along the passageway. Peter had already ran ahead and James wasn't far off, though he was lingering, waiting for them. Regulus lead Remus through the tunnel with Sirius guarding their backs, turning every so often to make sure nobody had dared to follow.

As they crowded the end of the tunnel, James pushed open the hatch and they carefully climbed up and into the Shrieking Shack. James dropped the hatch and sealed it, turning to the others. At the back of the shack was a small door that lead directly to the forest and a part of Sirius wondered if Dumbledore knew they'd be tempted to let Moony roam free. If so, he wondered if he knew about their Animagus transformations and wrinkled his nose at the thought.

"Right." James whispered. He usually took charge during the full moons and Sirius was grateful for it, his mind was scattered at the moment. "Moony, how are you feeling?"

A short growl was the only response. Remus was hunched over, crowding Regulus into his arms and roughly nosing his neck. "He's good, James." A louder growl came and Regulus hissed, "Moony." He whimpered. Sirius resisted the urge to draw his wand and Remus seemed to pause before slowly retracting. "It's alright. You didn't mean to, darling. I know."

Remus glared at Regulus' neck. "Bite." 

"Not yet, Moony. Remember?" Regulus whispered, "We have to wait, a mate bite is too obvious. People will know."

From what Sirius could gather, Remus had tried to bite Regulus' throat to claim him. Beside Sirius, James hissed and hurried away from the window. "Full's coming."

Nodding once, Sirius turned to his brother. "Shift, little one. There's nothing else you can do for him now. It'll be painful, but you need to stay calm and under no circumstances are you to shift back." He said sternly. Remus growled at him when he tried to take a step closer to his brother, eyes glowing as the moon began to peak.

Regulus' eyes were teary as he looked away from Remus. In a quick motion, a small fox was stood in his place and after a glance, a dog and a stag joined. Wormtail scurried over, standing behind Prongs' legs and watching the transformation take place.

Remus growled fiercely, snarling as his body hunched further. As he hunched, his human form was still able to whine and the little black fox shuffled over, hiding slightly behind Padfoot. Sirius himself stood solidly in front of Regulus, watching sadly as his friend writhed in pain and let out heart breaking moans and guttural wheezes as his body shifted.

Unlike the Animagus transformation, the shift of a werewolf was painful and intense. It wasn't smooth and quick, it was at least thirty seconds to a minute of agonising pain. Remus had once tried to explain it to them and Sirius felt - from his description and his own experience - that it was on a similar pain level to the Cruciatus.

Remus snarled viciously, dropping onto his hands and knees as his nails extended into claws and his teeth grew, forcing him to open his jaw. Eyes flashing completely amber, Remus' mouth and jaw extended into a snout as fur grew all over his body. Beside him, Regulus whined softly and tucked into his furry side. When Sirius turned back, Remus was completely shifted into Moony.

The wolf blinked. Panting for a moment, Moony sniffed around before throwing his head back and letting out a howl. An overwhelming urge to join hit Sirius and he copied the movement, unsurprised when Regulus let out his own little higher pitched howl and James added his own vocalisation.

Every full moon, Moony did this. He howled as a greeting to the moon but the Marauders had never had the urge to join him. Occasionally Sirius would, just to feel what it would be like, but he'd never _needed_ to before. A curious squeak from Wormtail brought him back to attention and the pack stopped howling.

Suddenly, Moony froze. The wolf stared past Sirius and they all held their breath, drawing back slightly. It went against all of his natural instincts that screamed at him to protect Regulus from this enormous creature, but he couldn't allow himself to listen. Forcing himself to retreat, he watched as Prongs did the same with Wormtail in his antlers.

A small, black fox carefully crouched, ears back as he laid on his side and showed his vulnerable spots to the werewolf. Moony ambled over carefully, snuffling the fox's neck and chest before clamping his jaws around the little fox's throat. Sirius had to lock his joints in place, resisting the urge to throw himself in the mix and he could hear Prongs scraping his hoof anxiously.

The wolf drew back, throwing his head back in a victorious howl that Sirius had never heard before. The wolf threw himself to the ground, rolling on his side and nudging at Regulus. Startled and clearly quite confused, Regulus copied the movement, pressing his teeth into the thick, furry neck and pressing down gently. 

Moony launched himself in the air, letting out happy and excited yips as he pressed his face into Regulus'. The fox blinked before making a chittering sound and wagging his bushy tail in elation, nuzzling into the wolf. Regulus turned - ignoring Moony who kept desperately trying to play with him - and sent a whine towards Sirius and James who hurried over to join the rest of their pack.

From there, they _bonded._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh... what sweet boys! They're struggling with the Horcrux at the minute but fear not! They shall have their breakthrough soon and hopefully old Voldie will be dead soonish <3 [;)]
> 
> Oh just to clarify - when Remus and Sirius are being kinda cruel to each other, it was sort of them both testing the other but they're still best friends don't worry <3
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed my dears - Who else is excited for the Black Family Dinner ft. Remus + James? I know I am..


	30. The Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus is unknowingly a genius, Regulus loves his boyfriend, Sirius is clever for once and James has a bad time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for uh, Dark stuff? It's more implied than anything but.. you know.
> 
> Posted this roughly 2-3 hours earlier than usual because I'll be busy today - hope you enjoy! <3

The full moon had been an utter success.

At the beginning, Sirius had been terrified for his little brother. Moony had been so over excited that he'd almost squashed the poor little fox beneath his massive form. Multiple times, Sirius or James had to get in the way, with an antler or a paw, to try and give Regulus time to wiggle away. Luckily, Regulus' form was quite and nimble, making it easy for him to slip away just before Moony would crush him. 

After a few minutes of almost aggressive enthusiasm from Moony, he had seemed to become more aware. A certain intelligence and knowing look had begun to take over the wild amber eyes and he'd tilted his head curiously. Moony had let out a series of snuffles, pawing at the ground and Prongs had stamped his hoof. Padfoot stomped his paw twice, then Regulus patted his paw three times on the ground and Moony did the same with an additional pat before howling again.

That time, they all joined and knew that Moony was not simply _Moony._ Remus was there too.

From there, things had gotten a lot less terrifying for Sirius. They had used Prongs' antlers to wriggle the latch of the door open and they'd shot out into the forest. Wormtail had alternated between hiding in Prongs' antlers or resting on his firm back. It was a good thing James' form was so tall, Moony kept trying to swipe at Wormtail and although if he'd really been trying he could easily have overpowered the lot of them, it kept Wormtail somewhat safe to be that far out of reach.

Regulus had been delighted at the change in Moony, happily nipping at his heels and giving chase. Moony especially had seemed to love chasing the little fox, wrapping protectively around his mate whenever he finally caught him. Sirius had spent most of the moon watching them, standing back and only interrupting if he felt the need to.

At the end of the fun, they'd bustled back into the shack sleepily. Wormtail conked out in a little hole in one of the floorboards that they'd dug for him years ago. Prongs had laid down, letting his head relax as he sleepily watched Moony nudge Regulus into a corner, curling up in a ball and covering his smaller mate with his own fur to keep him warm. Padfoot had taken the other side, huddling close to Moony but not too close, just as Prongs had done. 

The four of them slept soundly, completely undisturbed until the alarm that James had set the night before went off and woke them up.

Sometime throughout the night, Remus had transformed back and Sirius was unsurprised that the others had subconsciously done the same. They were _pack_ now. They were bonded completely and Sirius felt the soft warmth of his packmates flooding his senses. Magic responding to them, flames desperate to lick at the cores of his friends.

James sat up, mouth pouted as he blinked sleepily and Sirius snickered at the state of his hair. Peter was still Wormtail, but changed back as he scurried out of the hole. They all watched as Remus and Regulus were the last to awake, too content to lay in each other's arms.

Regulus whined as he stretched out in a feline manner, snuffling as he blinked blearily. Upon noticing his little audience, he startled and frowned at them all. An arm tightened around Regulus' waist as he tensed and Remus let out a pleased growl, leaning in to scrape his teeth along Regulus' shoulder. His brother shivered and Sirius scowled.

"None of that." He sniped.

James snorted beside him, rubbing at his eyes. "Bloody hell." He yawned before clearing his throat. "Am I the only one that.."

"Last night, yeah." Sirius agreed, running a hand over his scalp to smooth down his hair. Luckily, it was never as messy as James', but still. 

"Amazing. It was so _good,_ wasn't it?" Regulus whispered, looking elated with his silver eyes far too bright for the early hour.

Tightening his hold on Regulus, Remus purred softly. "Perfect. _Perfect."_

"Pe _r_ -fect." James mimicked, rolling the 'r'.

"Oh so, _perfect."_ Sirius sang, voice scratchy. Opposite him, James snorted before dissolving into laughter. Sirius felt himself join, unable to contain the happiness he felt. Regulus beside him frowned for a moment before snickering and Remus looked very much like a wolf that had eaten a nice big meal. 

"You look happy, Moony." Peter noted, looking slightly confused between them all.

Remus blinked his eyes open, looking unimpressed at Peter. "Hm. Am. Very. Yes."

Snickering again, Regulus pinched at the arm that was wrapped around him. "How profound. Let me go, Moony. We have to go before the Matron appears."

Remus held firm, "No." He huffed, digging his chin into the top of Regulus' head. "Mine. My pack."

"Yes, Moony." Regulus agreed, gently trying to pry Remus' arm off of him. "But if you don't let us go, we'll be in a lot of trouble."

Looking very unconcerned, Remus only closed his eyes and pulled Regulus against him again. His brother turned to him, eyes wide and beseeching.

Sirius huffed. When would he gather the resolve to deny that look? He doubted he ever would.

"Moony, let go of my baby brother, please?" Sirius asked, carefully reaching a hand out. "If Madam Pomfrey catches us here, we'll all get a detention." Remus continued to look unconvinced, clearly still feeling too much like his wolf counterpart to see the benefits in letting his mate and his packmates go.

"If we get in trouble, we might not ever be able to join you for another moon." James whispered, looking around theatrically. "Never know what old Dumbledore will do, do we?"

Regulus' eyes widened and he shook his head, looking up at Remus. "See! We don't want to get caught, Moony. We need to be here for you, always." Sirius thought he was laying it on a bit thick, but Remus frowned down at his mate before conceding, arms retreating with a pitiful whine. Regulus smiled winningly, "Thank you, darling." He whispered, kissing Remus softly.

James coughed, looking away and Sirius grimaced as he did the same. Peter was shuffling uncomfortably, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else and for once Sirius didn't blame him. Cracking his joints, Sirius pulled himself up and hurried over to the hatch. James and Peter were close behind and as he crouched to open the latch, Regulus walked forlornly over to them. They could still hear Remus whining softly and Regulus seemed genuinely heart broken to be leaving him so Sirius wrapped an arm around his shoulders and guided him through the hatch, into the tunnel and letting the wood fall closed again.

As the full moon was put behind them the Marauders were somehow even more in sync than they had been before.

They were all like one unit, moving independently but cohesively to form a beautiful synchronised dance that only truly made sense to them. For years, Sirius had heard people say the Marauders were thick as thieves and he'd once heard a professor say they were all like four children born to different families but attached in heart. He liked that, but it didn't quite _fit_ back then.

Now, however, it made more sense than ever. They all worked together to form a little family. One that, unlike the one Sirius and Regulus had been born into, didn't cause unending pain or mental anguish. 

They never did find out what happened with Snape and his friends. James had posed the suggestion that they follow him for a bit, but none of them really wanted to. Even James didn't seem to care too much, too content with laying his head in Regulus' lap or draping himself over one of the Marauders for a cuddle. Or, even more likely, bugging Evans to pay attention to him.

Lily was an odd addition to their family. She wasn't pack, and yet they all felt close to her. Sirius had always had a strange relationship with her, the tongue lashing she'd given him and the stories they'd both shared had left them feeling close, but still very distant. Remus and Lily had always gotten along and James was her boyfriend now so it made sense.

Strangely, Lily and Regulus had become friends too. Regulus seemed to enjoy her sharp tongue and her quick wit and both he and Remus certainly enjoyed another study buddy. Though, Sirius and James were frequently seen in the library as well now. Regulus had literally dragged he and James there by their ears on the first free period they had, spelling them into the chairs and refusing to let them leave until they could answer at least half of the little study guide he had prepared for them.

That was another thing Regulus had begun doing for them. Apparently, a way Regulus liked to study was by constantly testing his own knowledge with little quizzes he would design or ask for from a teacher. He had made them all a variety of test papers, forcing them to answer and go over any parts they seemed to struggle in. Sirius was surprised at how much it helped. Knowing what questions he struggled on really helped him see what areas he needed to focus his studies on and he'd happily twirled Regulus in his arms after working out a difficult Runes problem he'd found impossible mere weeks before.

As the months rolled into spring, the Marauders had wanted to spend more time outside. Prior obligations, however, had stopped them. They still hadn't found the Horcrux and although Peter was pretty much permanently with his new friends, it was still hard to find time when he wasn't around or the Marauders weren't studying.

One day in the library, mere weeks before their first NEWT exam, Sirius had huffed as he tried to shake off the problem of the Horcrux. He'd wondered if it truly would be impossible, but Regulus had insisted that Voldemort would need access to his Horcrux, therefore, it must be able to be found. It wasn't like he'd dug a fifty feet hole and then dropped the thing down there before covering it up. It would be vital that he could access it quickly if need be.

"It just doesn't make sense!" Sirius hissed, looking around warily before throwing up a silencing charm. "I just- It doesn't even make _sense!"_

Remus frowned, putting down his quill as he looked across the table at Sirius. "What doesn't?"

Sirius dropped his chair on all fours, leaning in with his arms on the table. "Voldemort. Why in Merlin's name would he ever leave a Horcrux here in the first place?"

Scowling, Regulus glared at him. "If you are insinuating that my map-"

"No!" Sirius waved a hand, "I know it's here. It has to be here. I just don't get _why_ it's here." It was a good thing Peter was off with McGonagall for help on his Transfiguration studying and Lily was spending the day with her friends. Though, he was pretty sure wherever she was, she was studying. Pretty much everyone in his year or in their OWL year was desperately trying to cram the many years worth of education into these final weeks.

James tilted his head, "No, I get what you're saying." He ran his tongue across his teeth. "Why leave a Horcrux in Hogwarts of all places when Dumbledore is here."

"Thank you!" Sirius threw his hands up, "See! Why the bloody hell would anyone - aspiring Dark Lord or not - leave something that ties them to life, practically on their enemies doorstep?"

Frowning, Regulus looked down at the table. He clenched his fists, "Honestly, I don't know. It doesn't make sense, not really. Maybe he wanted to boast, silently, that Dumbledore was an old fool. Maybe he just felt particularly arrogant that day."

Remus tilted his head, "Or maybe..." His gaze wandered over to a table of Ravenclaws studying, "Maybe it's because this Horcrux is linked with Hogwarts. Well, probably the arrogance too, but..."

Regulus frowned curiously at his boyfriend as he followed his gaze. "Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem?"

"Could be." James tapped his quill on his lip, "You said Hufflepuff and Slytherin have been done, and there's no way he'd use something of Gryffindor's. That just leaves Ravenclaw."

Sirius shook his head, "We've looked into it. There's no trail on the diadem. It just completely disappeared from history."

James huffed, "There has to be _something."_

Looking annoyed, Regulus shook his head. "There isn't. If there is, nobody alive knows about it. The books are all useless."

"Maybe that's the problem," Remus shrugged, looking down at his textbook. "Maybe whoever last heard about the diadem's whereabouts is dead."

James snorted, "Fat lot of good that does us, eh?" He shook his head, "Probably Ravenclaw herself wouldn't know."

Sirius sighed and went back to his textbook. He flicked through it aimlessly, mind still racing. "Reg?" He heard James ask softly. Darting his eyes over the top of his textbook, Sirius noticed his brother was completely still.

"Reggie?" He called, leaning closer. "You alright, puppy?"

Regulus exhaled harshly, turning to Remus with bright eyes. "Dead." He said, a grin slowly overtaking his face until he was full out beaming. Regulus practically threw himself into Remus' arms, kissing him passionately and causing Remus to let out a confused hum before he growled into the kiss.

Sirius recoiled at the sight and watched James choke in shock. "What the-"

They parted with a wet smack and Regulus jumped to his feet. "Come on!" He shouted, gaining a hurried 'Shh' from the grouchy librarian. Sirius blinked as he hurriedly collected his things, taking half of Regulus' as Remus did the same since the little brat had run off without gathering his possessions. James stumbled over the leg of the chair as he followed them out of the library. 

"Where-" James started.

Regulus suddenly appeared beside them, "Hurry!" He insisted, tugging James by his sleeve in a seemingly random direction. Sirius had long since given up trying to work out how Regulus' brain functioned and there had been too many instances over the years when he'd suddenly come to a realisation and wouldn't make any sense until he'd confirmed his hypothesis.

As Sirius hurried to keep up with his little brother, Remus kept muttering to himself, clearly trying to figure out what had set Regulus off. Pausing, Remus suddenly brightened. "Oh, Reg! Baby that's brilliant!"

Regulus turned, a slight flush on his cheeks from running with a shy smile. "Glad you caught up." He teased before hurrying on down the hall. James and Sirius shared baffled looks, deciding to leave the brainy stuff to the other two.

Rounding a corner, Regulus suddenly stopped. He whirled around on one foot and whispered, "Be polite." Before continuing on down the hallway. Another turn later, Sirius recognised where they were. They were near the entrance for the Ravenclaw common room and Sirius frowned curiously. 

They had thought about breaking into the common room to see if perhaps the diadem was in here back before they'd ever told the Marauders about the Horcruxes. Regulus had said, however, that if the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw were in Hogwarts, the Ravenclaw common room would be way too obvious a place to put it. The smart little eagles would find it eventually and Voldemort would lose his Horcrux.

As Regulus continued, a translucent grey spectre suddenly caught his attention near the arched windows. Sirius sucked in a breath. _Of course._ Nobody living would know, but that meant the next best bet was a ghost!

With doleful eyes, the ghost watched as their little group slowly approached her. Regulus took the lead, bowing to her politely. "You are the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw Tower?" She watched him for a moment before nodding once. "I am Regulus Black. This is my brother, Sirius, my boyfriend Remus Lupin and our friend, James Potter."

The ghost was a young looking woman, probably around twenty, perhaps a little older. It was hard to tell with ghosts as their forms weren't fully corporeal, sometimes fading out, particularly around the edges. She was pretty, certainly, but in a fairly plain way. Her hair was dark and pulled back in a thick plait that trailed down her back. The colour of her eyes were hard to see and she was dressed in old fashioned clothing. It was clear that she had been here for centuries.

When she did not say anything, Regulus continued. "We were just wondering, you see, you are the ghost of Ravenclaw-"

"The diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw has been lost to the ages." She said, voice sounding tired.

Regulus blinked, James shifted uncomfortably and Remus narrowed his eyes, "How did you-"

"Many students have come to me looking for answers. It is not uncommon. The legend of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem lives on - and many that walk these halls wish to be the one to find it. I am sorry. I cannot help you." Her voice was soft and lilting and her face betrayed nothing. 

The lady began to turn, gliding away slowly and Sirius hurried after her. "Please." Sirius begged, Regulus shot him a look but he continued. "We need to find it. Someone-" He swallowed as she paused in her movements, "Someone has done something awful to it."

The Grey Lady paused. Head titling, she turned back to him. She only blinked, watching him placidly.

Sirius gulped, "Someone.. the Dark Lord, you've heard of him, right?" She blinked again and he took that as a yes. "He's done something to it. We know he has it - or had it, at least. He put it somewhere in the castle. Do- Do you know anything?"

The Grey Lady looked at him sadly, "I am afraid I cannot help you." She turned and James stepped forward.

"Please! You have to help us! The diadem - well, we know it has to be here. We don't know where but-"

She frowned, clearly not liking that they hadn't already buggered off, "I do not know anything about my mother's diadem. I must-"

"Your mother?" Regulus took a step forward, latching onto the information.

"If she's your mother, surely-" Remus began but the Grey Lady snarled.

"She is dead. What does it matter?" Her tone was much sharper now and Sirius grimaced. If she was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, he doubted that had been much fun. Having such a well known parent and constantly being in her shadow, likely never being enough for her... Sirius could understand the animosity she seemed to have.

"Please." Sirius asked quietly, "We don't want the diadem for our own use. You know Lord Voldemort, don't you? He took the diadem - somehow, I don't know how he got a hold of it in the first place but-" Her eyes turned downcast and Sirius paused. "You.. know though, don't you?"

Regulus inhaled, "Of course. You knew where it was and that's how he managed to find it in the first place. It was lost to history - to time. Nobody alive knew where it was." He sent a thankful glance at Remus, reaching out to link their hands. "But he was smart enough to know that, to take it literally."

The Grey Lady nodded sadly, "I did not mean to. Once, he was a student here. He was... charming. Understanding. He seemed to sympathise.. I admit.. I fell for his kind words. But.."

"He took the diadem and he befouled it." James said, brows set with a determined look on his face. "Please. You aren't at fault here, we've been researching him and we know how conniving and charming he can be. If you know anything, anything at all-"

"I stole it." The Grey Lady admitted, "My true name is Helena, Helena Ravenclaw. I was terribly jealous, embittered really, in life. My mother was brilliant, I was never enough for her. For anyone."

Sirius snorted mirthlessly, "Know what that's like." He muttered.

Helena tilted her head, "Yes. You would. You're a Black, after all. Many of your ancestors have walked these halls. Both of your parents included. Your mother had quite the name for herself, even here."

Regulus grimaced, "Lovely."

Helena nodded solemnly. "But you understand then. I regret it, I'll admit. My mother, she never told anybody what I'd done. No matter that I'd stolen her most precious item. She still kept my perfidy a secret. She took it to the grave." She said forlornly, "However, before her death, she wished to see me one last time."

Remus nodded encouragingly, "Did she try to find you?"

"Yes. But she was too weak. She became fatally ill and before her death, she sent out a man who had long loved me, he managed to track me down to Albania where I'd been hiding." She looked down, running a hand across her dress. "I spurned his advances, refused his affections. However he had loved me a very long time and upon my rejection, became enraged. The man murdered me. My mother died without ever knowing what happened and the diadem truly became lost to time."

James looked shocked, "He- You were murdered for rejecting a man?" He said aghast.

"He was ashamed with what he had done. Covered in my blood, the blood of the woman he had loved, he wrapped himself in chains and committed suicide. Joining me. Eternally wearing his guilt for all to see."

Regulus gasped, a hand covering his mouth. "The Bloody Baron!"

Sirius jolted and looked at him wide-eyed. James and Remus were gaping too and Helena nodded sadly. "We have made peace, do not fret."

Shaking his head, Sirius tried to clear his thoughts. "Uh- So, what happened to the diadem?"

She looked at him astutely and in that moment he could truly believe she was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw. "You do not wish to keep it?"

"No." He said firmly, "It must be destroyed. I'm sorry."

Nodding sadly, Helena ran her hands down her dress again. " _I_ am sorry. The man, the new Dark Lord, he took my mother's diadem and he tainted it with his foul magic. It is here, however, you are correct." She admitted, "It is in the room where all things are hidden. Where all of the lost items end up."

James screwed up his face, looking ready to demand proper answers but Sirius laid a hand on his arm. "Thank you, my lady." He smiled appreciatively, bowing before her. She dipped her head once and floated away, disappearing round the corner. Sirius turned back to the other three who all looked confused. "Well?"

"Why'd you let her go?" Remus groused, "That didn't help, not really."

Sirius gaped at him. Seriously? Was he on a different planet? "Has the time finally come?" He asked, beaming as they all continued to look confused. "Idiots. Come with me." He sing-songed, darting along the corridor. Behind him, James and Remus were grumbling about he and Regulus being too dramatic and too alike, but he only laughed.

They followed closely as he skipped up the steps to the seventh floor, only stopping near the tapestry once they'd caught up.

"Right. Seriously. You two are a nightmare." James grumbled.

Remus nodded, "Agree."

Regulus' cheeks were pink and he smacked them both softly, "Shut up. Brother dear, what is it?" He asked, eyes hungry for information and Sirius revelled in the thrill of showing off what he knew. Was this why Regulus did this? It must be fun to fuck with people so often.

Sirius grinned at them all, "Oh you poor, ickle brained babies." He rolled his eyes, ignoring their indignant shouts as he backed up and paced in front of the wall. A huge, detailed, metal door appeared. It's arch was curved and high and the door handle was a large, carved knob that sat perfectly at waist height considering how big the door was. 

Turning, Sirius threw the door open and watched as their jaws all dropped in awe. Walking into the room, Sirius revelled in the feeling of triumph. The high stacks of clutter, random, scattered junk and many broken items were a beautiful sight and he twirled in the entrance for the Room as they took it all in.

"Aren't I brilliant?" Sirius sighed.

James looked at him sceptically, "What the hell is this?"

"It's the Room of Requirement, duh." Sirius tutted, "Don't you get it? _'The Room where all things are hidden'_ Isn't it obvious?" He waved his arms, "Look at this place! You telling me this wouldn't be the ideal place to store something?"

Closing his jaw, Remus snorted, looking around incredulously. "Try bloody finding it again."

"How did you even know about this?" Regulus whispered, trailing a finger over a stack of papers on top of a wonky three-legged table. 

"One day when I was exploring the Room after you showed it to me, I wanted to hide a- uh-" He blushed, running a hand through his hair, "Well, an item. And basically, the Room provided! I mean, I'd thought about it being a possibility for the Horcrux, but I thought I'd have felt it."

Regulus shook his head, "Not if it's far enough away. This place is..." He looked around, picking up a small round ball and handing it to James, "Throw it as far as you can, Chaser."

James grinned at the challenge, picking up the ball and throwing it in the air a couple times to gauge the weight. He narrowed his eyes, taking a firm stance as he tossed the ball as far as he could. A dull thump, sounding very far away, came as it hit the ground.

"I can't even tell how far that went." James snorted, shaking his head. "Searching this place is going to take forever."

Remus huffed, "There has to be a simpler way. Can't we try and use your map?"

Regulus sighed, "No. It's like the Marauders map, it won't work in here." He closed his eyes frustratedly. "Don't suppose anybody has any other ideas? Else we're probably going to have to just split up and search as much as we can, bit by bit."

Sirius kicked at a mannequin head by his foot from where he'd been wondering. "Thing is, if we get close enough we should start to feel the aura, right?"

"True." James called from where he was already rifling through some drawers. "Think we should just wonder about?"

Regulus bit his lip, "Problem. He may have thought ahead and tried to mask it's aura somehow."

"It would make sense," Remus sighed, "In Hogwarts... you definitely don't want to draw attention to something like that. Not with Dumbledore about."

James groaned, throwing a broken clock at a stack of chairs and watching them clatter to the floor. "Annoying."

"Agreed." Sirius called back. "Do we all split up or should we do this in pairs?" 

Remus appeared beside him, "Pairs. Regulus has already gone to find James, it's better that we're all together in case we find it."

Sirius frowned slightly, "I'd have thought you would be with Reggie."

"Could say the same for you." He said lightly. At Sirius' suspicious look, he huffed. "Fine. Reggie kicked me out. Wants to talk to James." Sirius blinked at him and he shrugged again. "No idea why. I think it might be about Peter though."

Sirius pursed his lips to refrain from snarling and Remus gave him a knowing look. "Something's off with him."

"I know." Remus agreed quietly, pausing to pull open the door of a broken wardrobe. "He's been off for months. It's obvious he doesn't like Regulus, but I don't get why he doesn't say anything."

"Well he wouldn't dare say a thing to me." Sirius pointed out, "I love him, but I'm pretty sure you all know that if it came down to it... my decisions already been made."

Remus nodded, smiling at him. "I know. We also know he wouldn't say a thing to me. I was Regulus' best friend and now his boyfriend. But to James..."

"He would have told me." Sirius insisted. "James is loyal, yes, but he wouldn't keep something like that to himself. We're pack now."

Remus shrugged, looking sad. "Peter's made his own choices. He's got new friends now and... I think it's a good thing. Clearly he doesn't quite fit with us anymore. We work well as we are now it's just..."

"Sad. I know." He agreed quietly, wrinkling his nose at some suspiciously stained shorts he walked past. "We used to be the Marauders. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. But now..."

"We're still the Marauders. But we're pack. And for some reason, that doesn't include Peter but it certainly includes Regulus."

Sirius expelled a breath, "We aren't going to be the four Marauders, running about and causing mischief forever. Wormtail's been off ever since we decided to stop hexing random Slytherins for breathing."

"Yeah, now you only do that when you have a reason." Remus said sarcastically.

"Better than us just doing it 'cause we're bored. I walked away from a fight with Wilkes just two days ago!" Sirius said.

"Becuase McGonagall was there." Remus smirked. "You'd have hexed him stupid if she'd been a couple seconds later. She'd have caught you in the act, too."

Sniffing, Sirius turned away, "Still. My point is that he's been off for a while. It's weird though that Moony doesn't see him as pack."

"I know." Remus sighed, "It makes me feel awful. He's supposed to be our friend but it's like... it's like we've replaced him with Regulus. He's certainly pack."

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Sirius peered at him curiously, "Do you know why that is?"

"Well, for Regulus it's obvious. He's my mate, so I think because I'd met him and he was within reach, I was unable to properly form my own pack. As for why Wormtail isn't included, I don't truly know. It could be because Regulus and he clearly don't get along. Or maybe it's because a rat can't truly be pack. I have no idea."

Sirius huffed as he shoved past a stack of pots with holes in or chunks broken off. He rifled through them for a moment but eventually turned away, seeing Remus pulling his hand back out of a stack of wigs with a grimace.

"I don't get why Wormtail hates him so much." Sirius muttered. "I get it, I'm biased, so maybe I'm not the right person to ask. But, Reggie's great. I get he can be prickly, but if Peter actually bothered..."

"I think that's part of the problem. Peter isn't good with people and he never really had to try to get to know us, and it's not like he'd ever made other friends." He pointed out, kicked past a dusty radio. "Only, he's done alright making friends now. But I think Regulus scares him, honestly."

"See that's what I don't get either." Sirius grunted, bumping into a cabinet. "He can make friends in his Divination course which - since when? He'd never mentioned that right?" Remus made a disagreeing sound from where he was rifling through a set of drawers and Sirius nodded to himself. "Exactly. But he doesn't even bother to try with Reggie."

"Well, like you said, Regulus can be prickly. But I agree with you. He's made his dislike of Regulus clear from the beginning. It's probably the jealousy." Remus mused.

"But he was jealous _before_ Reggie even became a part of the group!" Sirius insisted. Turning to Remus he waved his arms, "I mean. You remember that, right? He never liked Regulus. Whenever I'd talk about him, James would get all grumpy and you'd get all shifty but supportive, but Peter? It was like he's always hated him. And I can't for the life of me understand why."

Remus looked uncomfortable. "James hated him too. And Regulus hated him back." _Ever the mediator,_ Sirius thought fondly. Remus never liked picking sides. Not really.

"Yes, but James was a jealous prat and so was Reg. They both got over that easily. What reason does Peter have to hate him? Loyalty to me - or maybe to James? Doesn't make sense. Not anymore, we're all clearly alright with each other."

Remus sighed, rubbing his forehead as he finished checking a series of woven baskets. "I don't know what to tell you, Padfoot. It's obviously something Peter doesn't want to talk about. Not with us."

"Peter _never_ wants to talk with us anymore." He grumbled. "I try and ask him how his day has been and he gets all squirrely and runs away or gives me blunt answers. Might as well tell me to piss off."

Remus hissed through his teeth as he avoided a strange metal thing on wood that had snapped at his fingers, "Bloody mouse trap." He hissed, turning to Sirius. "Look, Padfoot. Peter's our friend, but he's got his own thing going on. When we graduate, we won't all be the Marauders, will we? He's probably preparing himself to have to stand on his own."

Sirius frowned, "What do you mean? We're _pack."_

"Of course we are." Remus said gently, "I know that better than anyone." He reminded him pointedly, "But I think Peter has picked up on the fact that we won't be holding his hand forever. For years, we've done all we could to help him. But we're graduating soon. A war is coming and we're going to be fighting. Peter won't have us there to protect him, he knows that."

Sirius nodded slowly, "That's true. We've always been like his babysitters."

Remus looked uncomfortable again, "You know. It probably hasn't helped that you aren't.. uh... exactly..."

"Nice?" Sirius snarked, "I try. I really do. I tried desperately because I love the little shit but- _fuck."_ He threw a wooden draw that wouldn't close properly away from him in agitation. "I don't know! He's just- Something about him, Moony, sets me on edge. He's just been so odd lately. It's weird, but it's like my instincts are just-"

"Refusing to trust him? Not allowing you to lower your guard?" Remus asked.

Blinking, Sirius nodded. "Yeah. It's- Reggie once said he didn't like Peter because he was a rat, because he was weak. That rat's have no true loyalty and they'll only go to the biggest player in the game for protection and once someone bigger comes along..."

"They know when to save themselves by supporting the better player." Remus whispered, slumping against a sizeable grandfather clock with a smirking face carved onto the pendulum. He looked exhausted. Which was understandable, they'd been searching for at least an hour by this point. "I've felt it too."

Sirius laughed brokenly. "So it's not just me."

"James agrees." Remus admitted quietly, "I didn't want to mention it 'cause- well-"

"I've been kind of a dick to Peter already. You didn't want to give me more reasons to act like a cock."

Wincing, Remus nodded ashamedly. "But you're right. We're pack. We don't keep secrets and... Sirius, never- I mean never ignore your instincts." He said seriously, looking him dead in the eye. "Your instincts are what keep you going. Always go with your gut."

Sirius bit his lip, "My gut says I can't trust him. My gut says... it tells me that the reason he never mentioned these Divination friends is because they don't exist." He whispered.

Remus' eyes looked misty, "I hoped you wouldn't agree- I- I thought I was being too protective of Regulus, of the pack. Of my pack."

"You can't ignore your instincts, Moony." Sirius parroted. "They're there for a reason."

Remus slumped his shoulders, "I wanted to kill him." At Sirius' slightly alarmed look, he elaborated. "On the full moon. I didn't even want him coming... then when he entered the Shack.. entered my _den..."_

Sirius winced. A wolf was very protective of their den. If Moony had seen Wormtail as an intruder, it was a surprise he had lived through the night.

Nodding at his look, Remus continued. "Exactly. I wanted to rip him apart. Especially when I turned and I smelled my mate. All I could think about was protecting my pack and my mate. It's a good thing Regulus' presence brought me back to awareness, if I hadn't taken over, I'd probably have killed him." He whispered.

"You didn't though." He reminded him, "Peter's alive and we're all okay."

Remus rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Am- Am I a bad friend? For- For mistrusting him so easily?"

"Not unless I am too." Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, "Seriously, Moony. We'll- I guess we'll have to confront it eventually. We have to, he's definitely hiding _something._ But for now, we have each other, yeah? The Marauders, _pack."_

"Pack." Remus whispered.

They continued on in silence, occasionally piping up to complain about the items. Some of them were so random and seemed to truly have been lost from students. Ties, socks, shoes, hairbands, ribbons and the odd textbook or toothbrush were scattered all over. Sirius had even found an old t-shirt that he'd lost from third year. He'd grinned and shouted out to Regulus that he'd found his 'scale shirt'. Regulus had shouted back from quite a ways away that he'd better keep it safe because he wanted it.

Remus had looked confused and Sirius only laughed before regaling him with the time they'd gone to a dragon reserve in Romania when they were roughly eight or nine. Sirius had gotten an overly large shirt, hoping he'd grow into it with time. Problem was, he'd grown into it too quickly and by third year it was too small. The shirt was completely covered in a red and gold pattern, resembling the scales of a Chinese Fireball. He'd loved it immediately and although Mother had sniffed at the colour choice, she'd allowed it.

Remus had laughed when Sirius told him how often Regulus would steal it and Sirius had been upset when he lost it as the shirt made him think of his estranged brother often. He wasn't the only one to have found something, James had happily cheered when he found an old set of Quidditch goggles that he'd lost in their fourth year. Remus too had been elated to find an old pair of knitted gloves from his mum that he'd lost two years before. Regulus had loudly called out that he hadn't found anything because he was too organised which was followed by a yelp and James laughing.

Apparently, to spite him, the Room had dumped an old pair of boots right in his path. They were - according to James - lovely and clearly expensive, with solid silver tips and the Slytherin crest on the heel. Sirius had happily crowed that those had been a gift from Uncle Cygnus for his birthday many years ago and that Regulus had nicked them when Sirius had tried to throw them away. The following sound of James' pained shout had made him and Remus snicker.

They continued on. Thankfully, it was a Saturday and therefore they could waste as much time as they could searching the Room. It was possible they wouldn't find it for a number of days, and Sirius hoped they would at least find it before graduation or else Regulus would have to tackle this monstrous place alone. Which, would mean he would be looking for a Horcrux alone.

Sirius had mentioned this softly to Remus who had set his jaw and insisted that they would find it. If, somehow, they didn't, they'd sneak in every single day to look with him. Appraisingly, Sirius had nodded, thoughtfully thinking over the type of person Remus was and perhaps admitting that he was good for Regulus.

Just as he finished rifling through a set of bedside tables that were stacked in a little tower he threw up a tempus and winced when he realised they'd been at this for almost five hours.

As he turned to tell Remus, an alarmed shout made them both tense. They locked eyes and drew their wands turning in the direction the noise came from.

"Puppy? Jamie?" Sirius called. Remus and Sirius slowly walked in the direction they think the noise came from. A series of yelps and shouts made them turn their jog into a sprint as they hurried along the winding pathways of junk. Loud but indiscernible shouting was coming from a different end of the room and Sirius transformed to give himself an edge.

As Padfoot, he used his senses to sniff out where Regulus was as he knew his scent much better than James. After all, they'd grown up together and he could probably identify Regulus through only the sense of touch. Sirius hurried along, leaping over discarded items that Regulus had clearly dropped down the centres of the walkways to make it easier to find their way back. It had to have been Regulus, his scent lingered on them all and James wouldn't have thought that far ahead.

Godric, he and Remus hadn't even thought of that.

"Regulus? James?" Remus called from shortly behind him, easily keeping up with Sirius as he used his wand to send off sparks. "Guys?"

"H-Here!" James croaked. Sirius' heartrate sped up and he quickly shifted, raising his wand as he threw himself around a large pile of furniture, emerging around the corner to see what had happened.

Remus was right behind him as he saw Regulus, in his Animagus form, snarling and hunched down. James was clutching his head, a trail of blood coming down from his temple and he seemed dazed. A huge, stuffed troll was on it's side and a statue of a warlock had been knocked over. From the positioning, Sirius assumed it had been what knocked James over.

The thing Regulus was snarling at was a small brown box that too had been knocked over and was now open, the hinges having been bumped in the fall. Underneath the wood, Sirius could just make out a glint of something silver and felt his heart race.

"Reggie, love, come here." Sirius demanded, wand aimed at the box. Regulus snapped out of whatever he was stuck in, hurrying over to them and shifting as he was half-way, making him stumble into Remus who hurried to catch him. Regulus too looked slightly dazed, across his cheek was a large red mark with a small cut that Remus wiped at. 

Sirius crouched, extending a hand to James, "Prongs." He called tersely.

James rolled and gripping his hand tightly, pulled himself to his feet with Sirius' help. "Fucking thing." He spat, "Could hear it hissing to me. Reggie's quick though - smacked me out of the way from grabbing the thing." He shook his head, "How the hell have you been around these multiple times? That was.."

"I know." Sirius said darkly, glowering down at the box. "It gets in your head and fucks with you. Whatever it said, do not believe it. Seriously Prongs, don't listen to a word."

James looked ashen. His jaw was clenched but his eyes were shifty as if he was uncertain. At Sirius' words, he nodded solemnly. "Yeah, yeah I know. It's just... I wasn't expecting- I mean I knew it would be bad but..."

"It knows your heart. It knows your very soul." Regulus whispered, "It targets every little thing that's ever done you wrong and twists it. It could make you despise the person you love most if you were around it too long." He said, eyes full of remembrance. 

Remus wrapped an arm around him and Sirius held James firmly with one arm, "You two okay?" He asked.

Regulus nodded, smiling at them both shakily. "Yeah. I could hear it too - I don't know, maybe it's because I'm more used to them by now, so I recognised it. But it was..." He shook his head, "This one was _worse,_ Siri. I don't think it was the actual soul piece."

"It's the diadem of Ravenclaw. Wasn't it supposed to have powers?" James said thoughtfully, hands shaking. Sirius gripped his hand tightly and James looked at him gratefully.

"Yes." Sirius nodded, "Something like making the wearer wise beyond imagination." He snorted, shaking his head. "Add that to a fucking Horcrux and-"

"It was so bad." Regulus bit his lip. "I only just managed to knock James away but we crashed into the troll. Then..."

"I think I punched you." James grimaced. Remus and Sirius turned to him with wide-eyes and he looked down ashamedly. "I- I don't know why, I-"

"Don't you dare!" Regulus hissed, pushing Remus' arm off of him and crowding into James' side. "That thing was... foul. Worse than any I've ever encountered. You were bewitched and you broke out of it James, don't you dare be upset with yourself."

James had his jaw set stubbornly, "I still-"

"I know, my cheek hurts enough to know you've got a good swing." Regulus huffed, "I don't blame you. Let it go. And you two, no being upset. He broke out of it quickly, very quickly actually."

"I- It was when I hit you." James grimaced again, "I felt like I was watching myself do it. Like I wasn't me.. I felt possessed. I'd never- Reggie I'd never-"

"Pack. Remember? We're pack." Regulus insisted, "You didn't want to hurt me."

James looked bereft. Weeks ago, at Potter Manor, he'd mentioned how hunting the Horcruxes would give him exposure to the dark side of this war. Now, he seemed like was beginning to understand just how bad this could get.

"It- It was in my head." James whispered brokenly, eyes tearing up. "It was talking about Lils and- and you guys and- _Peter."_ He choked, "How- Why-" James sounded so broken, it made his heart ache.

Laying a hand on him, Sirius squeezed. "Listen, we don't blame you. Seriously mate, you broke out of it - that's bloody impressive. These things... they're the foulest thing you'll ever encounter. When it was in my head I was ready to-" He swallowed, glaring down at the box, "A part of me was so angry I could have killed someone."

James choked, a hand fisting his own hair. "What- It-" He sobbed, "I- I could have killed Reggie! I- I wanted to find Lils and-" He wailed. "I'd- I would never- I swear I didn't- I wouldn't! I love her but- but-"

"I know." Sirius whispered, wrapping James in his arms. "Trust me, mate. I know. They're fucking foul but don't you dare listen to a word it said."

"She-" James swallowed, "It was talking about Snape and- and her. Saying how she and him... I wanted her- I wanted to prove that she was mine but I _wouldn't_ I swear- I love her I would _never_ have-" He sobbed.

Remus laid a hand on James' shoulder and Regulus wriggled beside them to hold them all close. "You did well, Prongs." Remus insisted, "You aren't like that, we know. It was the Horcrux."

James hissed through his teeth, setting his watery eyes on the Black brothers. "H-How the fuck have you two been around these so often?"

"Occlumency helps." Regulus suggested, "We could teach you."

James nodded furiously. "Please. I- I can't. That was..." He rubbed his eyes. "That thing needs to die. I- Fucking hell, Pads, if I could cast Fiendfyre, I'd do it right now."

Sirius looked at him sadly, "Do you see?"

Shamefully, James nodded. "Yes. You- Sometimes you have to do... bad things. To get rid of something truly evil, something so _a-abhorrent,_ a stunning spell won't always suffice, will it? Light spells don't always..."

Shaking his head, Sirius squeezed him tighter. "I'm so proud of you, Prongs."

"Me too. You did so well, Jamie." Regulus reached out to squeeze his hand.

"Don't let what it said affect you. The reason you broke out of it is because you're a good person, James." Remus assured him.

James smiled weakly before turning his attention on Regulus, "Are you okay, Reg? That- I don't even know how you..."

Regulus gave him a shaky smile, "Practice, I think."

Swallowing, Sirius exhaled sharply. "Actually, Reg, how come you were in your Animagus form?" He asked suddenly.

With a minute frown, Regulus tilted his head, "I think being in my Animagus form made it much more bearable. I could still feel it but.. I guess my thoughts were simpler, in a way. Less complex. So the Horcrux couldn't twist them as easily." He shrugged, "When it started whispering to me I just... felt this pull and I followed it."

"That's your instincts." Remus said, sending a pointed look at Sirius who grimaced. "You need to always trust your instincts."

 _"That's_ what that was?" James whispered numbly. "I felt this urge to turn into Prongs and headbutt the bloody thing but-"

"If you ever feel that again, do it." Sirius said sternly. "Remus and I were talking about this earlier. Your instincts are important. They're there to protect you. It's the pack bond isn't it?" He asked, turning to Remus.

The werewolf nodded, "Yes. I've felt them my whole life but I still make sure to listen to them. At least, mostly. For now, you'll struggle differentiating between them. When James headbutted Snape or Regulus started complaining about wanting to build his own little burrow underground - that's your instincts."

James carefully tilted his head, "But... I _shouldn't_ have headbutted Snape. I got a detention." He pointed out with a minute pout, Sirius felt his heart warm at the sight. James was never the type to stay down for long. He always got right back up, usually with a cheeky grin or a stupid joke to try and lighten the mood.

"That's why I said at the moment, you're struggling with them." Remus replied, "In time, you'll feel them rise and you'll know when to ignore them. Or maybe you'll just ignore them anyway. But your instincts are like your fight or flight response. It's your animal's base instincts. Most important of which is usually keeping you alive."

Regulus nodded slowly, "So at times like this, listening to our instincts is important."

James hummed, "And the reason Reggie transformed when I didn't is because..?"

Regulus shrugged, "Honestly it's probably because I'm inexperienced. I felt the pull and didn't question it. I thought it was normal." He mused.

"Wait." Sirius blinked, "Is that why sometimes I wake up and you're a fox?" When Regulus nodded, Sirius snorted. "So basically, Reggie enjoying being an animal a little too much is our saving grace."

James snickered. His eyes were still red and he still looked shaken, but Sirius was glad to see him looking lighter. "Foxy." He purred.

Regulus smacked him, a smile pulling at his lips as he tried to stay grumpy. "Saved _your_ furry arse."

"Fuzzy." Remus corrected, a vicious grin as he appraised James. "Juicy, too."

Regulus threw his head back and laughed, the sound bouncing through the room. Sirius joined in when James looked mortally offended, smacking at Remus for his comment.

"Eyes off the goods, Lupin!" James chastised him jokingly. "Else Reggie might get offended."

Regulus sniffed, "I most certainly would not. There's no competition." Regulus said disdainfully. Remus was grinning as he looked down at Regulus fondly.

Sirius relaxed and grimaced. Turning his attention away from the sickening couple in their honeymoon phase, he twisted his lips as he looked down at the Horcrux. "Right. What do we do with this, then?" He gestured to the box.

Remus winced and turned away from Regulus, "Throw it in a Basilisk's mouth?"

Grumbling, Regulus pouted. "Can't believe Grandfather couldn't get us any Basilisk venom. Not enough, anyway."

"But you _could_ get some?" James jumped at that.

Sirius shook his head, "We asked. He said at the price it's going for, he wouldn't be able to get more than a couple drops. Not without bankrupting the House. Besides, Basilisk venom is highly monitored because of it's effects. You'd have to have a Ministry personnel with you as you used it to make sure you aren't doing anything nefarious."

James groaned, "Stupid Ministry." His hands started to lessen in their shaking and Sirius smiled internally. "Should we leave it here?"

Regulus firmly shook his head, "No way." He looked around nervously and Sirius wondered what was going through his head. "Kreacher!" He called.

Sirius startled, "What?"

Looking contrite, James piped up. "Uh, mate-"

A soft pop rang through the room as Kreacher, gnarled and grumpy looking as ever, appeared before Regulus. "Master calls Kreacher." He croaked.

Regulus smiled softly, dropping to his knees and hugging him. "Hello, old friend. I've missed you dearly."

James was gaping, "Wh- What!"

Shocked, Remus reeled back. "Since when could house-elves apparate into Hogwarts?"

"It's not apparition." Sirius muttered, numb with realisation. "Oh bloody hell, why didn't I think of that?" He smacked his forehead. James sent him an odd look and Sirius elaborated, "House-elf magic isn't like wizards magic, remember? The reason Kreacher could leave the cave was because Voldemort had overlooked that fact."

"But, this is Hogwarts." Remus pointed out, perplexedly.

Regulus - who had finished greeting Kreacher - huffed as he stood up. He crossed his arms and waved down at the elf, "Well clearly it works! I hadn't actually been certain.. it was more of a hypothesis I'd had really. I mean, if house-elves aren't bound by our rules, and if even Voldemort doesn't take their abilities into account... well who's to say they can't come to Hogwarts?"

"Well they do bounce around the place to do the cleaning." James pointed out, "I would have expected Dumbledore to have thought of that."

"Clearly, most people don't pay attention to their elves' abilities." Remus said dryly. Turning to Kreacher, he smiled. "Hello Kreacher. Regulus has told us a lot about you, I'm Remus Lu-"

"Wolf!" Kreacher hissed, popping right in front of Remus and glaring up at him. "You is the half-breed that be stealing Master Regulus away!"

Blinking, Remus leaned back. "Uh-"

"Don't call him that, Kreacher!" Regulus chided, a little frown on his face. The elf looked down and nodded solemnly, biting out a reluctant apology.

James stared down at Kreacher before meeting Sirius' eyes. _"Ugly."_ He mouthed.

 _"Agree."_ Sirius mouthed back, a smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Kreacher!" James cheered.

The elf looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Messy hair, glasses... you is the nasty Potter boy. You is stealing Master Sirius from sweet Master Regulus." He said, eyes sharp.

"Uh-" James ruffled the back of his hair nervously. Sure, he could always give Kreacher a good kick to send him flying, but then Regulus would get upset and James wasn't stupid enough to anger the boy. He'd be risking the safety of his delicate parts. Whether that referred to any bone Regulus could break with either a fist or a kick or to his genitals, Sirius didn't know. Knowing Regulus and his love for Kreacher, all of the above.

Besides, the way Kreacher was eyeing him, he knew the elf would likely be delighted if given the opportunity to hurt him. Best to tread carefully.

"We're very good friends now." Regulus said with a smile on his face. "We're all friends here, Kreacher."

At Regulus words, the elf relaxed slightly before tensing again. "Master Regulus is injured! Who be hurting Kreacher's sweet, kind Master?"

Regulus went bright red and James flinched back, looking ashamed. Sirius pressed forward, "Uh- Kreacher. It was actually the fault of those nasty items we've been collecting."

Kreacher bounced on his feet, "Where be the magics? Master Black be telling Kreacher to always bring bad magics to him."

Sirius nodded, "Good. The bad item is over there. Be careful, Kreacher." He pointed and the elf turned determinedly. 

Kreacher had become an unlikely companion on the Horcrux hunt. He seemed to have been personally insulted by the fact that there were so many and that Regulus had almost died for them. The elf had since made it his mission to help destroy every single one.

Regulus looked worried but Kreacher merely snapped a large piece of cloth into his hand and wrapped it around the box. The diadem was pushed back inside by Kreacher's work and the dim light of the Room suddenly brightened. They all looked around shocked, not having noticed the poor lighting.

"The Horcrux must have been sucking the light from the room." Remus muttered.

"None of the others did that, did they?" Sirius frowned, "Maybe it's because this one had to hide it's aura." He shrugged, looking down at the elf with a pleased look. "Thank you, Kreacher. Could you take that to Grandfather for us?"

"Wait!" Regulus called, hurried pulling a scrap of parchment and one of Remus' pens from his pocket. He leaned on the side of the statue that had been knocked over and scribbled out a note. Passing the note to Kreacher, he smiled. "Give that to Grandfather please, Kreacher. You've done excellently, my friend. We'll call for you again soon. Take care."

Kreacher nodded solemnly. "Kreacher be doing that Master Regulus. Master Sirius, Master's Wolf and Master's Jester must be taking care of Master Regulus." He chided, looking at them all sternly. "Or you be hearing from Kreacher." After that declaration, he popped away.

They were all silent. Sharing confused looks before James spluttered.

"Did he call me your _jester?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James is a sweet boy. I think he's definitely my 3rd favourite character in the HP series.. Regulus and Sirius are first and second respectively. Then it's probably Harry, Remus & The Twins... oh and Luna! <3
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed my dears! <3 James had a bad time this chapter, but he's my baby so I'll be kind to him.. just thought he needed proper exposure to the Horcruxes and their foulness. He gets it now. <3
> 
> I love all of your comments, so even if I don't manage to reply - I assure you, I read them all! <3 This story will be coming to a close soon, isn't that sad. Sigh. Not too soon, there's at least 7-10 chapters to go, probably more I'm not sure. I'm making the individual chapters longer by accident - one of them is just over 15k!


	31. The Alley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Marauders take their NEWTS, friendships are possibly broken and the pack go shopping in Diagon Alley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the very end there should probably be a !! TW !! as a lot of violent acts are offhandedly mentioned.

After the debacle with the Horcrux, the Marauders had all banded together in a variation of the Room and taken the rest of the day off. They stayed curled together on a large bed, James and Regulus in the middle and let themselves relax.

Regulus had been healed by a fussy Kreacher, when he came back to check on them, who tutted and glared at the others. They'd all agreed not to tell him it was James that had done it. He wouldn't care that he'd basically been momentarily possessed, he'd probably slit James' throat in his sleep anyway. Kreacher had left a note filled with praise from Grandfather before popping away.

James had been rather subdued all evening. He had profusely apologised for punching Regulus who had gotten so annoyed by the constant apologies that he'd pinned him to the bed and cuddled him until he'd shut up. When Remus and Sirius had come back with snacks, they'd happily joined the puppy pile on the bed and had curled around them, smothering the two into the middle.

Sirius had taken James aside though, making sure he truly realised that he _wasn't_ to blame for whatever the Horcrux had tried to make him do. James had sniffled but kept a brave face as he stood there, solemn with his head held high as he nodded at his best friend. James had been a lot more accepting of anything not strictly Light from there, even showing an interest in some Grey magic books that Regulus had been showing Remus.

They also made sure to lay the foundations for James' occlumency. Remus wanted to learn as well, but James was _determined_ to master the art. He said he couldn't allow for the possibility of having his mind fucked with like that, not again.

As the days wore on, the library at Hogwarts became more popular than ever. Which made sense as exams had started and students were _desperate_ to try and cram every bit of knowledge that may be even slightly useful in their brains. The pack were all pretty much avoiding the library however, it was too crowded and while their senses were still a little out of order, they thought it best to stay in familiar territory - meaning the dorm or the Room.

Once, Regulus had brought up the idea of taking his NEWTs early so that he could fight in the war, everyone had collectively agreed _not_ to allow that. Regulus had been upset, wanting to know why, and they'd all insisted he needed to just be a normal kid for the time being. Throwing away his final year for the war effort was admirable, but not necessary. Begrudgingly, Regulus had acquiesced.

Anyway, Grandfather had threatened to send him a Howler when Sirius had tattled on him and told the man. So, best that Regulus do as he's told.

James and Regulus had enjoyed a short talk in the Room before they'd stumbled across that awful statue with the diadem in a small box by it's side. When they'd been talking however, James had ashamedly admitted that he felt odd around Peter now and was questioning whether or not he could trust him. It was the utmost betrayal for someone like James. Regulus had been sympathetic and admitted he didn't know how to feel about the boy.

For James, although he loved Peter, his poor behaviour and James' newfound distrust of the boy had soured his feelings towards him. He still loved him, but it was clear that James too had stared to feel a strain with Peter - surprising, considering he was the most adamant on always staying loyal to friends.

Pack cuddles had made everything easier and Regulus had made sure to hold James _extra_ tight that night. He'd been very shaken by the Horcrux debacle and Regulus himself knew how it was to be exposed to something so foul in such a brutal way. Remus and Sirius had made sure to lather James with praise in the days that followed and the messy haired boy had seemed to regain some of his spark.

Privately, Regulus had theorised on what the Horcrux had said or tried to tempt him into doing. He honestly wasn't sure whether he wanted to know.

When exams truly commenced, Regulus was exhausted. Though he may not be doing his NEWTs, he was still desperately trying to get through his own end of year exams with his perfect record in tact. On top of that, he had made it his mission to ensure his pack were properly taken care of during the exam period.

It was usually him that would put a stop to the studying and drag them off for a snack or some fun time running around the Room. Surprising, considering for years he would work himself to the bone without a care for his own health. But ever since he'd formed a pack, he felt this need within him to make sure they were all okay.

Duelling had become a strange reprieve for them all. Their Defence exam was always towards the end of the exam season and so they were getting in all of the extra practice that they could. However, it was also a necessity that they improve their skills for the upcoming war. They always made sure to vary who was partnered with who, to make sure nobody got too repetitive and had to consistently adapt their duelling techniques.

James was creative. The boy was getting much better at using his transfiguration skills in battle. He had learned to manipulate the earth around him or use partial human transfigurations on his opponents, making him a difficult foe. It was actually James' creativity and wild imagination that made him so difficult to battle; he was completely unpredictable. Sometimes using prank spells purely for the sake of confusing you just to then hit you with something ghastly.

Remus was tricky. His knowledge meant he was able to use a large variety of spells and his physical attributes as a werewolf made him an enemy you could do without. Remus could shrug off curses that would down the average wizard and his quick mind helped to give him a wide spell repertoire to choose from. It helped him fight his enemy in a more strategic way as he knew what spells would work for different scenarios. 

Sirius was a fighter. He was rough and bombastic. His spells were high on aggression and power. It made him a formidable enemy and an even better ally to have on your side. Sirius was brutal in battle; Dark spells flying from his wand with no care for what happened to his adversary. His only goal in battle was to cut down as many enemies as he could. The way he fought was like a dance and Regulus - who had seen Bellatrix duel - had been surprised at how Sirius was able to make duelling look as easy as breathing.

Regulus himself was clever. Sometimes he would be more likely to stick to Light or Grey spells, and other times he'd use difficult spell-chains he had created to quickly and efficiently take out his opponent. The rest of the Marauders had been confused by his 'spell-chains' but Regulus had showed them how effective they can be. Finishing one wand movement in the same or similar place to the beginning of the next spells position was terribly useful for quick casting.

However, duelling this often had also helped them pick out their weaknesses. James had the problem of sometimes going too fancy which slowed him down and Sirius was often too aggressive which could cause problems if he was fighting in a group as he put others at risk. He'd almost blown a piece of debris right at Remus' head and it was only his werewolf agility that saved him. Remus and Regulus had the tendency of over thinking or relying on less powerful spells to conserve their energy as they knew - in the long run - it would be more efficient.

They were all improving though. Their magical cores were being worked like muscles, making them able to cast higher powered spells more often without getting exhausted. This, was crucial. The Death Eaters worked their own cores _daily_ and were all only casting Dark spells, sometimes Grey. They were not easy to defeat which is why - for some of the higher ranked ones like Bellatrix or Rodolphus - more than one Auror or Hit Wizards were needed to take them down.

In fact, one duel that Bellatrix had been in had almost gone awry when three Aurors took her on together. It was only due to Dolohov throwing a blasting hex at the muggle home near them that allowed her to escape as the raining debris had almost taken two of them out. The Death Eaters that day had massacred a small muggle village - just for the fun of it. The Daily Prophet had reported there were almost thirty dead and double that which were injured. 

Regulus could remember the way Bella had laughed at the next family dinner, giggling and cackling as she recounted the way a muggle woman had screamed under her wand.

Sometimes he forgot that Bellatrix was no longer _family._ When he would sometimes mention just how vile the Death Eaters were, desperate for the pack to understand his worry, Sirius would consistently remind him of this fact. The Bella they knew from their childhood was dead. She was gone for good.

James, Remus and Sirius had all been morbidly curious about the true workings of Voldemort's supporters. Regulus had gone in as much detail as he could, even though talking about those times was difficult for him. He knew they needed the information and he made sure to speak of certain members specifically.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange were obviously some of the worst of his lot. They were vicious and cruel and Regulus had impressed upon them the importance of not allowing themselves to be stuck in a duel with either of them. Stunning spells or the like would be useless. James had clenched his jaw, determination in his eye and asked for reading material for less Light inclined spells.

Regulus had happily shown him a variety of books. James had tried to hide his fascination with the magic but the way his eyes had glinted at a method of transfiguration that worked on the organs was very telling. The book had added a stipulation that only those especially skilled in transfiguration would be able to successfully achieve this spell - hinting it required mastery level skills. James had grinned determinedly and snatched the book to study it zealously.

Antonin Dolohov and the Carrow twins were another set of enemies they could do without. Dolohov especially was talented in Charms and Regulus had informed them that he created his own curses, meaning it would be difficult to identify what kinds of spells he used. Remus had hissed through his teeth at this, it was difficult to fight an enemy when they used spells you had no knowledge of.

Regulus and Sirius had taken it upon themselves to properly teach the others in the pack about Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. It was vital that they understood just how vile things could get and while Sirius focused more on the fighting and attack spells, Regulus focused on teaching them the best Dark healing magics and shielding spells.

Once exams were over, the Marauders all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The day of their final exam was luckily also Regulus' last test, meaning they could all celebrate together. They'd all carted themselves off to the Room and thrown an impromptu _'disco'_ as Remus called it. Regulus didn't care, the flashing lights and strange contraption that played music had been a background thought to seeing his pack's happiness.

Sirius and James had been pioneers of 'bad dancing' and had scuffed the floor they'd stomped on it so hard. Ridiculous really as they were both purebloods that had been taught dancing from a young age - Regulus suspected they just liked to cause a ruckus. Regulus had been content to sit back and watch, but then Remus had swooped in and insisted he join. James and Sirius hadn't let him wriggle out of it, trying to teach him to let loose instead of taking part in formal dances like he'd been used to.

They would have invited Peter (they only had mere days left at school anyway) but he had scurried off almost immediately, sending a dark look to Regulus and muttering something about friends. 

It was a good thing their protective instincts had all calmed down. If that had happened a few weeks prior, it's very likely that the Marauders would have publicly hexed him for his attitude.

That was another change; Peter had become _much_ more open in his hostility against Regulus. It had started small, the odd comment or fierce glare when the others weren't quite paying attention. Then it became more pointed and he'd taken to scoffing or rolling his eyes whenever Regulus said a word.

Every so often, Regulus would stay in the Slytherin dorms. It was rare, but it had to happen. He needed to show his face around the common room or dorms just to make sure that Slughorn saw him there. Though, they all knew he was spending most of his time in the Tower.

It was on one of these evenings, that an argument occurred with the original Marauders. Apparently, according to James, Peter was convinced that Regulus was bad for them. He had supposedly tried to convince them all that maybe Regulus wasn't quite as innocent as he seemed. The dorm went quiet, James had said, before Sirius stormed out, Remus followed and James stuck around to warn Peter against saying such things.

Peter apologised profusely when they next saw him. They'd reluctantly let it slide, but Sirius especially had refused to forget it and Regulus had tried to act unaffected, just to soothe the rest of the pack.

So, really, it was only a matter of time before things escalated again.

Really, Regulus should have expected it. However, he hadn't expected Peter to be so _brazen_ in his hatred for him.

The day they were due to leave Hogwarts, Peter and James had been the only ones in the dorm when Regulus appeared. A mix up had meant that Sirius and Remus had gone down to wait by the Slytherin common room. Coincidentally, they seem to have both left at the same time, taking different routes as well meaning that they'd completely missed each other.

Peter had made a snide comment about _finally not needing his babysitters_ and James had grimaced from where he was finishing packing his trunk. Regulus had simply replied while buffing his nails carelessly, that he didn't need babysitters as he knew how to stand for himself without hiding behind others - _unlike some people_. Peter had glowered at him, a strange glint in his eyes as he replied that he hadn't been saying that when he was _clutching Mummy's skirts_. 

Regulus had twirled his wand through his fingers, not aiming it but holding it in sight as he stared the boy down. It seemed, Peter had _finally_ grown a spine. He had merely shrugged off Regulus' next retort, that he was _clearly not in Walburga's good graces now and was able to make his own choice_ s.

James had interceded, asking Peter to lay off. This comment had then triggered the boy to turn his anger on James, demanding to know why they were even so defensive of Regulus and _was he truly that good at sucking cock that they all had to act like his bodyguards all the time?_

That had been the turning point. James had pulled his wand on Peter who had seemed to realise he just monumentally fucked up. Sirius and Remus chose that moment to stroll through the doors, lighting up at seeing Regulus, dropping their previously worried looks.

"There you are puppy! We were waiting by the bloody snake den for-" Sirius suddenly blinked. Taking in the room, he frowned confusedly and beside him, Remus seemed suspicious.

"Lads? We all good?" Remus asked cautiously.

Peter was stood by his bed and looking increasingly uncertain but his eyes were hard with anger. James had his wand drawn and aimed at Peter with a scowl on his face and Regulus was stood in the centre of the room, eyes narrowed, body trembling slightly from the insult. _He was nobody's whore._ Peter hurriedly darted out of the room, muttering apologies and pushing past the other Marauders who let him go confusedly.

James scowled harder, body tight with tension. "No. No we aren't." James spat after watching Peter leave.

Taking in their expressions, Sirius suddenly seemed to notice something was wrong. The bond was taught and Regulus could feel them both trying to sense what was going on. Regulus' end of the bond was slightly hurt but mixed with fury and annoyance while James' was full of ire and confusion - clearly at the change in Peter.

With a careless smile, Regulus waved a hand at himself. "Oh, you know, the usual. Pettigrew showing his dislike of yours truly."

"What did he say?" Remus asked astutely, eyes turning to the door. Sirius crowded closer, laying a hand on Regulus' shoulder and gesturing for James to relax.

"Mate, calm down. It can't have been that bad." Sirius said, "Peter's a muppet lately but he's not-"

"He said Regulus must be a good cocksucker." James interjected tersely.

Eyes wide, Sirius jolted and turned to them. "What!" He hissed.

Remus scowled, barely repressing a growl, "Why would he even-"

"He was being a prat." Regulus huffed, "Made a snide comment about you lot being my babysitters, I retorted that unlike some I don't need my friends to babysit me. _Then_ he said something about Walburga and when James defended me, he implied I was basically your kept whore else why would you all care about me so much." He sniffed carelessly, "Oh well."

Sirius was staring at the door, clearly contemplating running after Peter. "Why the fuck- What the _fuck's_ gotten into him lately?"

James snorted, "Who knows, mate. I don't care anymore. I'm done trying to- to-" He shook his head, "I don't know. I'm done."

"He's been your friend for years," Regulus said gently, "It's okay, James. You've been a good friend to him. You're allowed to be torn."

"He was so out of line!" James insisted, "I get it. We all get it. He doesn't like you. But clearly he's in the minority here, so why is he being so- so-"

Remus sighed, looking disappointed in Peter but much less concerned than he would have been a few months before. "I don't know, Prongs. He's obviously going through some things. We've tried to be there for him-"

"You're telling me!" James seethed, "I desperately try to talk to him and he just gives me this _look_ and walks away! I've tried for _months!"_

"We all have. Even I did." Sirius pursed his lips, still tightly gripping his wand and Regulus hoped for his brother's sake that he wouldn't run into Peter anytime soon. Sirius was likely to get himself sent to Azkaban. 

"I think we all need to just let it go. Let _him_ go." Remus said, looking down at his shoes. "We've tried. If he changes his attitude, maybe he can come back. But- But the way he is now is just-"

"Fucking annoying." Sirius scowled. 

James had a slightly sad look on his face, "Guess that's it then." He shrugged, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Right. Whatever. We have to get on the train soon so." James made a gesture towards the door and with a sad look at the fourth bed, covered in sweet wrappers and crumbs, they followed.

The train ride home was sad. 

Not just because of Peter, but the Marauders were now leaving Hogwarts for good. Regulus had been slightly ashamed by how emotional he'd gotten.

He had just been so overwhelmed, knowing he'd never be with his pack at Hogwarts again. When they'd entered the compartment, Regulus sat down and promptly burst into tears. James had cried too, then Remus and then Sirius. All four of them had sat there, curled onto one bench and holding each other.

After they separated, they started telling stories or reminiscing on their favourite moments from school. It filled Regulus with a slight bitterness that he didn't know many of these moments first hand and he cursed his past self's need to please Walburga. 

He could only imagine how happy he would have been had he chosen Sirius instead of her. _As he should have done._

Walburga was a sore topic and Sirius had smacked his head as he brought up the fact that Walburga would be at the family dinner. He sent a grin at James and said he'd have to put up with her, something that made James blanch as for years he'd heard about the infamous Walburga Black but had never actually _met_ her.

Remus grimaced too, but mainly for the reasons he would even be attending. James was allowed to attend as Sirius' plus-one, but he was also a pureblood and everyone knew they were just best friends. Remus however, was a poor, half-blood with no status who happened to be dating Regulus. There was the whole werewolf thing too, but hopefully none of them would realise.

Sirius and James had teased him mercilessly, telling him he'd have to watch out for his furry backside as the Blacks would be ruthless if they found him unworthy.

Regulus rolled his eyes at this. But they weren't wrong, per se. Some members of the family wouldn't particularly care beyond the fact that he was a half-blood and therefore not worthy like Pollux and Cygnus. Though, some would actually take an interest for Regulus' sake and would likely warn him against ever hurting him. 

This had prompted Regulus to laugh out loud, only saying ' _Aunt Cassie_ ' when asked why he was suddenly hysterical. Sirius joined his laughter while James and Remus shared wary looks.

The Blacks truly were insane.

They never did see Peter after that moment in the dorms.

A few days after they graduated, while they were all in Potter Manor for a few days, Peter had sent a letter to James. The letter was filled with a lot of self-pity and poor apologies. He mentioned that he hadn't written to the others because he felt it wouldn't be a good idea, they would be too angry with him. James had set the letter aside, a sad but resigned look in his eyes and dropped the topic of Peter altogether.

While they'd been at Potter Manor for a few days, James had dramatically said his goodbyes to his family and gone to the Evans' home to meet Lily's parents and her sister.

When he returned, he was beaming from ear-to-ear and they'd all teased him for being completely smitten. James had sniffed, only waving a hand at Remus and Regulus' joined hands before regaling them with the nights events. 

Apparently, Petunia Evans was a ' _right bloody shrew_ ' and the Evans parents were ' _absolutely brilliant_ '. James had also said that Lily clearly got her beauty from her mother, which Sirius had laughed at, saying Mr Evans better watch out.

On their second day at the Manor, a missive from Lord Black came during breakfast - addressed to James and Remus. Grandfather had been eager to meet them both, citing their interest in the war and their relationship with his grandsons and - as kindly as Lord Black ever could - demanded to see them sooner than planned.

It had also been heavily implied that they would be able to go after the final Horcrux if he could meet with them soon as apparently Grandfather had some very important news for them. However, this was cloaked for the Potter parents, Grandfather cleverly mentioning a trip to an old Black property that the boys had enjoyed as children. Adding that it was perfectly safe and the elves would be on hand.

Fleamont had happily allowed it, saying James would finally see how to behave at a formal dinner - which made the boy scowl at his father who grinned in response. He'd then turned to Remus and begun giving a few tips about ' _dealing with the in-laws_ ' causing the werewolf to flush bright red. Euphemia was much kinder, telling Remus to just be himself and that he would win the ' _grumpy old man_ ' over.

Sirius and Regulus had snickered at this; Euphemia Potter was not the type to bite her tongue.

James had hurriedly started packing, asking roughly how long they'd be at the Manor. Sirius only shrugged, stating the big family dinner wasn't until the end of the week, meaning they'd likely be at least a week, perhaps a few days longer. The boy had blinked, doe-eyed and confused at the prospect of being around the Blacks that long.

Remus had cringed, looking terribly uncomfortable and Regulus had kissed him softly to relax him. A sock being thrown at him from an oddly frantic James Potter had made them break apart.

"Help me!" He cried.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "You do realise you're just an after-thought for this dinner, yes? All eyes will be on Remus." He said, sending an apologetic look to his boyfriend who looked miserable.

"Not the point." James huffed, "What do I even wear? I have dress robes but..."

"Dress robes." Regulus said sternly, turning to Remus, "Do- Uh, that is to say-"

"I have dress robes, Reg." The werewolf said dryly. "They may not be up to Black standards however."

"That means they aren't bathed in the blood of muggles." Sirius tutted, "Unacceptable!" He shrieked, looking aghast.

James looked between Sirius and Regulus who was giggling, "I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not." He said wearily.

"Uh." Regulus scrunched his face, "Well, Aunt Cassie once came to dinner with actual bloodstains on her hands."

Remus blinked. "Muggle blood?"

"Nah," Sirius waved a hand, "Some girl that had apparently tried to steal one of her lovers from her. Cassie's pretty uh- possessive." He grinned.

"That's a Black trait." Remus snorted.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"

James snorted. "Can say that again, Moony."

Regulus frowned, "We're possessive of what is rightfully _ours._ And we only react when threatened." His lips pulled up into a vicious smile, "Like, for example, when that little _hussy_ Griselda-"

Sighing, Remus turned to him. "She was not flirting with-"

"She most _certainly_ was!" Regulus hissed, "The little tart. Rubbing up against you like-"

"She had boils, love. She came to me because I was the only prefect nearby."

"Slatternly." Regulus sniffed primly. 

James snorted, looking far too amused for Regulus' liking. "What's this?"

"Some nasty little _wench-"_ Regulus went to reply but Remus placed a hand over his mouth and he scowled.

"Griselda from the year below needed my help a couple days ago. She was practicing for Potions and somehow came out in hives all over. She was scratching herself, Reg, not rubbing up against me."

 _"Harlot."_ Regulus stated nastily.

Sirius cried. "Regulus!" But he was laughing, shoulders shaking at Regulus' peeved expression.

Turning, Regulus busied himself by helping James. He turned to the armoire and began rifling through his robes. James, Sirius and Remus were still snickering behind him but Regulus refused to pay attention, too busy staring at the abominations in front of him.

"What-" Regulus gasped, "-in Salazar's name, is this?" He asked, yanking out the garment. "Is- Is this a _blended_ fabric?"

James blinked, "Uh. Maybe?"

 _"Maybe?_ You don't _know?"_ Regulus asked appalled.

"Oh no." Sirius muttered.

Remus sighed, "You and your clothes-"

"They are a statement! To wear such- such-" He dropped the awful robes with a sneer, "Why would you _ever_ do such a thing?"

At his truly dismayed tone, James let out an incredulous laugh, looking at the others. "Uh- What? Reggie it's just clothes." Sirius hissed and Remus winced, looking away. Sensing his mistake, James mouthed silently for a moment before brightening. "But! If my clothes aren't up to standard - and I highly doubt that Remus' are as well - why don't we go shopping?"

Although it was clearly to distract him, Regulus felt a hunger grow within him. "I haven't been shopping in so long." He muttered. Shopping was something he'd always enjoyed. It was one of the few times he was able to pick what he wanted - usually with Mother only changing a few items.

(It had nothing to do with the fact that it was one of the very few times Walburga deigned to give Regulus positive attention. Sometimes she would even caress his shoulders or back gently while they observed the fit of the clothing in the mirror. But that had _nothing_ _at all_ to do with his love of clothes. _Certainly not.)_

So much of his life had been decided for him. But the clothes he wore were largely of his own choice and he always believed you should dress in your best for such occasions. He wasn't quite the snob Walburga was, but he believed at certain events it was completely unacceptable to wear poor clothing.

Though he had tried - and largely succeeded - in ridding himself of his more classist prejudices, this was something he would likely always believe. At least, for formal events. Otherwise, why even show up?

Sirius softened at his words, knowing full well why Regulus enjoyed running his hands through different fabrics and trying on different robes. 

"Well?" Sirius turned to the others, arms crossed. "Get ready!"

As they exited the floo in the Leaky Cauldron, Regulus let out a sigh.

It had been a while since he'd been to Diagon Alley and he was reminded that, upon his next trip, he'd likely be gathering his school supplies for the very last time. James, Sirius and Remus all looked wistful. Flourish and Blotts was already readying themselves for the new school season and it must be odd knowing you would never be going there for school purposes again.

Regulus nodded once after looking around. "Right. We'll be going straight to Twilfitt and Tattings then."

"Where?" Remus asked. 

Regulus narrowed his eyes, _"Excuse_ me?"

"What's wrong with Malkin's?" James complained. "She's much closer and-"

"Cheap." Regulus started. "Has poor quality fabrics. Attends to you with nought a care for things such as skin tone, skin _type-"_

"Right, love." Remus nodded. "Let's go to uh- Twiflitt then."

 _"Twilfitt."_ Regulus stressed, "And I shan't be having you buffoons embarrassing me."

"Oh great. Pureblood ponce Regulus is in full swing." Sirius teased, a grin on his face. "Ah, the memories. Likes to act like he's so above it all yet he's the first to call Madam Malkin a degenerate for using a blend of Ancromatula silk and regular silk."

"A _blend!_ I may as well roll around in a bed of Bundimuns!" Regulus hissed. "She is a deplorable _excuse_ of a designer. She isn't fit to hold a pin cushion."

Remus smiled at him with the same look he usually wore when he was ranting about something. An odd mixture of affection and slight confusion, "Love, let's go to Twilfitt's. I'm sure Jamie and I could do with some _proper_ clothes. Clearly our Malkin-made robes aren't up to par."

"Quite." Regulus sniffed.

James was biting his lip and Sirius was smirking at his shoes but Regulus paid them no mind.

They walked through Diagon with their heads held high. People stopped and stared openly. They were looking specifically at the Black scion that was holding hands with an unknown male. They lingered on the Potter Heir and the Black Heir just behind them before averting their eyes, whispering rapidly amongst themselves.

Regulus refused to pay any attention to the onlookers. They were gossips and now that they were out of Hogwarts, they were free game for the gossip columnists. He could already picture the articles now. Probably ones which would poke fun at Remus or perhaps at Regulus - maybe he was found unworthy by the many pureblood witches and needed to 'lower himself' to find someone.

He didn't care. The tabloids were full of fluff pieces and sensationalised fables anyway. It was a well known fact that the newspapers and magazines in the United Kingdom were rather disreputable - but it didn't stop society witches and the average wizard eating them up.

They entered Twilfitt and Tattings, a small chime coming from the door from an enchanted bird as they entered and Madam Twilfitt peeked over the rim of her glasses to scrutinise her new patrons.

Twilfitt and Tattings were _notorious_ for only servicing purebloods - or those with enough galleons that they'll look the other way to your blood status. Although Regulus may not be a blood supremacist in the way many of her patrons would be, he was still of the opinion that the quality of someone's robes told you a lot about that person. 

He winced internally at the thought. Remus' clothes were generally shabby or ill-fitting, and yet he was one of the best people Regulus knew.

_(Okay, so he hadn't quite shaken his classism yet. But he was trying!)_

It was more an instinctual reaction. He'd see some tattered robes or scuffed shoes and immediately stick his nose up. But he truly was getting better. Slowly but surely.

The lady at the counter made an odd face at Remus' baggy jeans but the moment her eyes fell on Regulus she brightened. She only lit up further when she took in the Black and Potter Heirs by his side.

"Oh well aren't I a lucky witch." She called, a grin on her face. Her brown hair was up in an extravagant style and her horn-rimmed glasses were a bright blue to match her illustrious robes. Her eyes were a soft green and she had a large smile on her plump face. "I haven't seen you in so long, my dear." She cooed, coming over to Regulus.

He smiled at her winningly, "Hello Madam Twilfitt. I apologise, I've been rather busy with school."

Madam Twilfitt sent a look at Remus and Regulus' joined hands, a quirk to her lips. "Yes, _school."_ She smirked slightly. "Now my dear, I have the most _gorgeous_ silver robes in the back - I held them _especially_ for you. Come, come! They'll make your eyes sparkle."

From there, the shopping trip was a whirlwind. He'd always liked Madam Twilfitt and had he been of working class, he would have probably worked with her for a summer job. Though, he had also been interested in working at Obscurus Books; they were well known for having old Runic scripts that needed translating and he would love to do such a thing.

When Mother had seen him staring wistfully at the 'help wanted' sign in the window, she'd sent a slicing hex at his knuckles and hissed that Blacks are above such ignoble acts.

They tried on a variety of robes in different shades, textures and fabrics. Remus seemed utterly confused by Regulus' insistence that _sangria and shiraz are most certainly two different shades, Lupin, are you blind?_

James had complained heavily about needing to try on various fabrics because _if it looks good and it feels alright why does it matter that it's not the right shade? Can't we just use a colour charm?_

Madam Twilfitt and Regulus had shared commiserating looks and just to spite the idiot, Regulus made him try on three extra sets of robes that wouldn't look god anyway. 

Sirius was the best of them, although he was clearly exasperated by the process. But Sirius knew better than to argue with Regulus on this and had just smiled and nodded whenever appropriate. Which, as Sirius told the other two, would be something they would need to practice for dinner.

On this, Regulus agreed. Speaking to Cassie or Alphard would be fine, but someone like Irma, Druella or Pollux would go on for hours about the most boring of topics. As for Walburga, well, _just make sure she doesn't poison you and you'll be fine_.

"Thank you, Madam. You are truly the best robemaker in London. Nay, the country!" Regulus commended, handing off the bags to James who huffed and tried to give some to Remus who was snickering. Can't have that. "Oh, darling, could you hold my robes?" He asked, turning to Remus with wide eyes.

His boyfriend faltered, mouthing silently for a moment before smiling. "Sure." He took the bags and stumbled slightly at the weight. "Wait how much did you even-"

"Goodbye, Madame." Regulus called, twirling on one foot and adjusting his cloak as he left. Sirius was snickering from where he was holding his own bags. Luckily, he'd only needed one set for dinner and then bought an additional set just as a backup. James had needed multiple pairs and Regulus had insisted he had some robes for everyday. As for Remus, well, he'd needed almost a whole wardrobe.

Remus had tried to insist on paying but Regulus had just handed his galleons over and ignored him. James too had tried to pay for himself but Sirius had smacked him and done it for him. They were the ones insisting, after all. Why should they pay?

Besides, it was for a Black event that they needed these robes. The additional sets was just good planning. Honest.

(It had nothing to do with Regulus being slightly high maintenance and also wanting to spoil his pack a little.)

After summoning Bumble and Flitty, kindly asking them to take the many bags to Potter Manor (and ignoring their little squeals again) they continued on through Diagon Alley. 

Regulus had wanted to stay for a little longer and they happily agreed to sit in Fortescue's for a bit for some ice cream. They spent a little bit of time teasing Regulus on his aggressive way of styling them but he'd just thrown a scoopful of his ice cream at James and ignored his spluttering.

In reality, a part of him was terribly anxious about introducing Remus to Grandfather. He had tried to hide it as he knew Remus was much more scared than he was, but he couldn't help it. His hands were shaking just thinking about it.

The man had been absent in his life for so long but now that he was back, Regulus really loved and appreciated him and he wanted the man to approve of his boyfriend.

Not that it would matter if he didn't. If Arcturus Black, _Lord Black,_ demanded he leave Remus, he would happily take the disownment. Not only because he would never leave Remus on the word of another, but because he would never stay in a family that deprived him of the man he loved.

And, he truly _did_ love Remus.

He'd whispered it to him so many times, muttering quietly into the night while the rest of the pack slept on soundly. Trailing his nimble fingers through Remus' thick, curly, sandy coloured tresses as he mouthed against his ear that he loved him, that Remus was a treasure and Regulus was the lucky bastard that had stumbled across him.

Besides, if Regulus left the House of Black, Sirius would follow. So it's not like he'd be losing his family. Sirius, Remus and James were all he truly needed. Though, he loved others and he wouldn't want to lost any of the people in his life. His Boggart was them all dead for a reason.

They had left Florean Fortescue's and were just wandering around. Chatting aimlessly as they did so. James was shoving Sirius for teasing him about Lily but then immediately proved that he was _'whipped'_ as Sirius kept saying when he ran off into some shop to get a set of large, decorative hair pins for her.

James had excited the shop with a beaming grin, proudly presenting the pins. When Regulus had seen them, he'd stared unimpressed at them.

"You're joking, right?" 

"What's wrong with them?" James pouted.

"Your witch is ginger."

"So?"

A pause. Regulus truly could not believe how moronic James Potter was. If he didn't know he was actually one of the smartest students in his year, he'd truly think he was a complete fool. Regulus wanted to cry this was so ridiculous.

"These hair-pins are orange. _Bright_ orange."

James looked down at them confusedly. "So?"

Sirius and Remus were staring at James with baffled looks. "Really Prongs?"

After a roll of his eyes, Regulus stormed into the shop, James in tow. He exchanged them for a much more beautiful set of emerald pins which would perfectly compliment Lily's stunning eyes. James had pouted, mumbling something about Slytherins and Regulus just told him to thank him later. Poor Lily, she had a complete imbecile for a wizard.

Looking at his own wizard, Regulus licked his lips as the other man appraised a set of silver bracelets. It was a good thing werewolves weren't actually injured by silver because his mate would most certainly be wearing those bracelets at dinner. Sirius met his eyes and smirked, pulling Remus aside and handing him a handful of coins.

Regulus pretended to be browsing a nice hair pin in the shape of a dragonfly that he actually thought would look quite good on Euphemia. Waving James over, he showed him the ruby-coloured pin and his eyes lit up. James hurriedly made his purchases and Regulus pointedly ignored the flush on Remus' cheeks that meant he was hiding something. Aw, wasn't he just such a sweet boy?

Sirius gave Regulus a grin and Regulus smiled at his brother. 

They continued wandering, occasionally popping in and out of different shops or just browsing at what they could purchase. Sirius seemed to be looking at things for Regulus and it occurred to him that he'd be turning of age that summer. He said as much and watched as they all lit up with mischievous grins. Oh. It was likely that meant they had something stupid planned for his birthday. _Fun._

As they continued wandering, Regulus noticed they were veering a little too close to Knockturn Alley. He and Sirius had been in and out of that particular district multiple times as Walburga wasn't shy about taking them down the creepy alley to make her more _questionable_ purchases.

Just as he was turning away, a voice sounded from behind him that made Regulus' stomach turn.

"Why hello there, _stranger."_

Regulus tensed. Sirius immediately whirled around with his wand out and though they obviously didn't recognise the voice, James and Remus responded similarly, drawing their wands.

Turning on his heel, Regulus carefully drew his wand, examining the woman opposite him.

It had been months since he'd seen her but she looked startlingly different. Hair still as long and curly as always, but it was dead, in a way. The strands looked brittle and it wasn't as lustrous as it used to be. Eyes still glinting with cruelty and her lips were pulled up in a sardonic smile, _so that was familiar at least_.

"It's been so long, itty bitty Reggie." She crooned, voice sickly sweet but there was a genuine hatred in her eyes as she surveyed him.

Regulus gave a smile, "Hello there, Mrs Lestrange, may I help you?" He asked politely.

Her lips twisted in a slight sneer, "Oh look how far you've fallen." Bellatrix bit out, eying his and Remus' joined hands with distaste. "Despicable. Consorting with a _mudblood."_

"I'm a half-blood, actually." Remus smiled. He looked genuine, but Regulus knew him well enough to know the smile was false. "I believe you'd call me a half-breed. At least get your slurs right." He chided.

Bellatrix sneered at him, "You're all the same. Scum that will be eradicated in due time." She promised.

James grinned at her, "Ah, nice to see you. See we must be going actually, we've had a tiring day of shopping."

Sirius picked up where James left off, "Yes, we should. Exhausting day. Picking out robes, you see, for the Black family dinner this summer. I'm sure I'll see-" Sirius paused, eyes wide with false innocence. "Oh, no. I suppose I _won't_ be seeing you there, will I?" He lifted his hand to show off the Heir ring as he ran his hand through his hair. "What a _shame."_

Tensing, Bellatrix glowered at him darkly. "If the House of Black has fallen so far that it will dine with vermin, I'd much rather not attend." She said haughtily.

"Well it's not as if it matters. You are no longer privy to such events. Therefore, the affairs of _my_ House are of no concern to you." Sirius snapped, a sharp smile in place.

Rodolphus Lestrange appeared from the entrance to Knockturn Alley, a lump in the side of his robes and he approached his wife cautiously, looking down his nose at the group of wizards before her. "Bella?"

Bellatrix glanced at her husband before scowling back down at her cousins, "We shall see." She snapped before sauntering off with her husband right behind her.

The four of them glared at her retreating form, watching her storm back into Knockturn Alley, pushing past other patrons that all practically ran away once they realised who she was.

"Bitch." James muttered.

"You can say that again." Regulus sighed, rubbing his face. "Can we not have _one_ normal day?"

"Wish she would have drawn her wand." Sirius mumbled, "I'd have sent a tongue remover right at her."

Regulus blinked, "Where's that from?"

"Old Black family specialty. Only taught to the Heirs." Sirius winked.

Remus sighed, "Let's just go home. Being near that witch makes me feel unclean. I hope the rest of your relatives aren't like that." He mumbled at the end

Sirius and Regulus shared a look, "Well." Regulus started, "Bellatrix is most certainly the worst a Black could get. She's much more open in her hatred and she isn't the type to bite her tongue. Sort of like Walburga but Mother knows when to be quiet - like around Lord Black."

Nodding, Sirius grimaced. "But most of them will be alright. Though, don't let Cassie try and feed you anything and don't try anything she gives you to drink either. Merlin, even if she hands you a napkin, don't take it."

James made a face, "Why?"

They shared a look. Both remembering the time she'd choked a party guest with a devilled egg that she'd presented them. Though, it wasn't as bad as the time she'd wrapped the Minister's fake eyeball in pastry and fed it to him and then laughed when he found out what she'd done. Or that time she transfigured one of the old pureblood wizards' cane into a snake that tried to strangle him. Or that time when she ripped a witch's earring out with the lobe of the ear still attached. Or when she pinned a witch to a table at a party by sticking a fork through her tongue - _and really, how had she managed that?_

Sirius and Regulus both blinked, coming back to attention.

"No reason." They said at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Cassie. How I delight in writing you! I've almost finished my Uni assignment! I'm so happy - I always get such a rush of relief when I finally finish them.. anyone else?
> 
> So, Peter is officially no longer 'one of them'. Sad. 
> 
> So anyway! Did you enjoy Bellatrix's appearance? She's certainly a piece of work. I love the idea of her being 'replaced' in the family by Sirius, the wayward Heir. I feel like that would have angered her immensely as she took pride in being a Black. Oops!
> 
> I love the idea of a sassy little Regulus skimming through James' wardrobe and being sickened by the poor quality of his robes. He would be such a little snob - I love him. That was pure self-indulgence, I apologise!


	32. The Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack go to Black Manor, Sirius is dramatic, Regulus is flustered and Remus is a sexy sweetheart.
> 
> Meanwhile, James is just having fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for like.. random offhand mentions of murder? And cheating I guess.. but it's not with any of the main characters (I abhor cheating, it makes me feel queasy just thinking about it..)
> 
> Ah it's Sirius Black's birthday today!! <3 Happy birthday to my baby!!

As they prepared to leave for Black Manor, the Marauders were all in their own little bubble of worry.

For Remus, his reason for his anxiety was the most comprehensible. Not only was he meeting Regulus' parents but he was also meeting the whole main line of the current Black family. On top of that, he was also meeting Lord Black himself which would terrify any wizard with a working brain. Regulus pitied his boyfriend. Remus had insisted that at some point he would have to meet his parents too and Regulus agreed nervously. But Regulus felt like the could handle them.

If only to make it fair. Regulus had never been around actual _muggles_ before. Well, he had, at the platform and he assumed some would be in Diagon Alley with their children that were at Hogwarts. But he had never _needed_ to interact with them before - he didn't know what muggles even spoke about. He couldn't exactly ask about Quidditch or magical creatures or theory that interested him. They'd think he was crazy!

Remus' father was a wizard - yes - but he had practically all but given up magic. As for Remus' mother, she was a complete muggle. He didn't know how meeting them would go but at least he wouldn't have to worry about his physical safety. Remus' father barely used his wand anymore and his mother could probably throw a good punch or stab him, but he was a wizard after all.

His boyfriend didn't have that luxury and he knew that certain family members that were fond of Regulus like Grandfather, Cassiopeia and Alphard would be likely to threaten Remus with a wand pressed to his throat. Or perhaps a dagger in Cassie's case, she always was more fond of hands-on methods. Though hopefully she would behave herself. She'd probably be too busy making snide comments at Walburga to care.

This was also the reason for Regulus' nerves; he was scared of what the outcome of this dinner could be. Remus could leave him when he realises just how insane the Blacks are - or maybe he'd be actually hurt by one of his insane relatives. Perhaps Walburga would do something... if not her then perhaps Cygnus or Druella, they weren't exactly happy that their pride and joy had been banished from the family.

Sirius shared his worry in this regard and that seemed to be his main source of anxiety. _Walburga._ She was unpredictable and ruthless. There truly was no telling what she could do. But when they'd mentioned this, James had interjected that surely she wouldn't dare try anything in front of Lord Black.

Regulus and Sirius shared uneasy looks at this. It's not that she would blatantly do something that worried them. She was a Slytherin and although the way she battered her children was less than sly or cunning, she could most certainly show her prowess when it comes to scheming.

Which, worried them both _endlessly._

As for James, the lovely boy that he is, he just seemed worried for his friends. He didn't really care about what the Blacks thought of him personally, but he was certainly worried for his own health. But more than anything, James was worried about _them._ He worried for Remus, Sirius and Regulus and was fussing over them like a mother hen.

Remus and Sirius had argued about who was more of a mother hen to the group, both giving very good points that both James and Regulus were fussy and 'maternal' which had made Regulus shriek with rage and James to hex Sirius.

Either way, their pack was doing good - if you ignore the almost constant anxiety wrapped around the bond.

Just before they left, James stood in front of the fireplace with a wobbly cheerful expression.

"So, boys, we all ready to go?" He asked, casting his eyes down to their trunks which they quickly remembered to shrink. 

Regulus bit his lip. He was anxious. He was, quite frankly, terrified. But he couldn't dither, else he'd only work himself up to a full on panic attack like he had when he first woke up. Perhaps it was the work of the calming draught that made him feel a little fuzzy and- _Oh,_ it had a delayed effect. Screw Remus and his smart ideas.

Wavering slightly on his feet, Regulus gave a slow nod. "Yes. Let us depart."

Remus' cheeks were hollowed slightly from where he was chewing the inside and Sirius had his pureblood mask of neutrality on tight. James looked worriedly between all three of them before sighing sadly and throwing the floo powder in to activate the floo. "Who's first?"

"Me." Sirius bit out. The others flinched slightly at his tone but Regulus knew what this was. This was the look and tone he used whenever he had to deal with things he really didn't want to, but refused to show his true feelings for.

Sirius snatched a pinch of floo powder with more tension than was necessary and James winced as he stepped back. Sirius ducked into the fireplace, dropped the powder and snapped out, _"Black Manor!"_

With a roar of green flames, Sirius disappeared and Regulus felt the worry that was lurking beyond a layer of calm from the potion increase slightly. He always felt stronger with Sirius by his side and being apart from him even for a moment worried him. It didn't help that he was a member of Regulus' pack now and the strain on the bond due to the sudden distance made him anxious.

"You go through, love." Remus whispered, nudging him towards the mantle to get the powder.

Regulus blinked, "I thought we agreed I would go last?"

James gave an encouraging grin, "Don't worry, fluffy! We'll be right through."

With a sigh - Regulus knew better than to argue with the two - he took a pinch of powder and stepped into the floo. Giving them both a smile that he hoped came across as reassuring, he called out the floo address and felt his body twist with the flames.

Stepping out of the floo, he almost stumbled into Sirius who was stood completely straight-backed as he stared at the floo. Sirius blinked at him looking puzzled enough that he dropped his mask before comprehension dawned on him.

"See, I said Jamie was a worse mother hen."

Regulus rolled his eyes, straightening his robes. "Actually, Remus suggested it."

"Mother _wolf."_ Sirius mumbled with narrowed eyes. A plume of bright green flames came from behind him and Remus stepped out looking oddly placid, but the rapid clenching of his fists made Regulus' heart ache. His boyfriend was so cute when he was nervous and he wished he could do more to reassure him. Another burst of flames came and James appeared, a mildly cocky grin in place.

The two that had never been to Black Manor before paused in awe. Remus and James looked around with wide eyes as Sirius and Regulus lead them to the entrance hall. Although guests were generally received in the aptly name receiving room, Grandfather had made a strange request to have the boys taken to the entrance hall upon their arrival.

Regulus knew what they were seeing. Centuries worth of ancestors in portraits nosing at them, every single piece of furniture elegant and perfect in it's place and expensive artwork and decorative pieces littered the hallways. They stared up at the grand staircase in awe and a part of Regulus felt a little smug. 

The Blacks were known for their extravagance and so of course, their main staircase was stunning in it's grandeur. Elegantly polished marble, carved metal handrails and candelabras lighting the way made the staircase look very prestigious. The most expensive of carpets, artwork and statues made up the rest of the hall giving a whole new meaning to the word expensive.

"Godric." James breathed, looking around in wonder. "How the fuck are you two not as poncy as Malfoy? Merlin, even I'm more of an arrogant prat than you two."

"No, darling. We just know how to hide it." Regulus assured. 

Sirius snorted, looking much more at ease. "Look at the snakes on the handrails, it's real Goblin wrought silver with emeralds for eyes." He shook his head, "Just one of those is worth enough for you to live off of for at least half a decade, perhaps longer if you spend it wisely." He grinned.

Remus startled as Sirius said the word silver, and began rifling through his robed for something. "Oh! Take this." He said, giving Regulus a sheepish smile. 

Frowning slightly, Regulus took the little box and unwrapped the paper it was covered in. The thick, parchment-style paper moved aside and a little, navy blue box stared back at him. With a confused glance at his abashed boyfriend, his reluctantly amused brother and an over-excited James, he pulled the top of the box off and had to bite back a gasp of awe.

Two stunning silver bracelets were laid in a plush little cushion. The band was like a small but robust chain with a rectangular silver plating. Across the chain were tiny white diamonds that sparkled like stars and on the plating was an engraving - an engraving of a fox and a wolf. Regulus gasped at the little image, staring at it for a moment before demandingly meeting Remus' eyes.

His eyes were filled with tears as he looked at a nervous Remus. Shoving the box in his hands, Regulus snapped. "Put it on me!"

Remus - who had begun to look crestfallen when Regulus gave the gift back - brightened immediately, "As you request." He muttered cheekily but the flush on his cheeks made Regulus squirm in delight. Remus carefully lifted the smaller of the two bracelets and laid the jewellery on Regulus' delicate wrist. With a gentleness that made Regulus' knees weak, he clasped the little latch which glowed before disappearing altogether.

Regulus blinked and hurriedly did the same to Remus with much less patience. The band was magical - meaning it didn't need a latch to stay closed forever. However, he recognised these bracelets from the shop. They were for lovers - very apt - and they were unable to be removed unless the wearer fell out of love with the person that placed it on their wrist.

"I wanted to wear mine immediately," Remus explained, "But due to the magic, it needed to be placed on it by the person that holds my heart."

The bracelet was beautiful in it's modesty. It was simple, yet elegant; just the way Regulus liked.

Blushing a brilliant scarlet, he turned his eyes upon his boyfriend. "I love you." He whispered, voice thick as he felt a tingle in his eyes.

Remus smiled down at him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, full of passion. "I love you more." He promised.

Shivering slightly, Regulus lightly punched his shoulder. "You're the worst. Making me all-" Regulus waved a hand.

"I knew it would look beautiful on you." Remus muttered, "I meant to give it to you earlier. Before we got here, I mean. But I was a little- uh-"

"Moony was a right mess." Sirius rolled his eyes, "The engraving is perfect, right?"

"I still think a moon and stars would have sufficed." James pointed out. "Don't get me wrong, the fox and wolf makes sense. But-"

Regulus sniffled, "Hush, Jamie. It's beautiful."

"I'm not saying it isn't! But come on - moon and stars? Isn't that perfect!"

"Certainly, it would be much more conspicuous. Would it not?" 

At the new voice, the four tensed.

Arcturus Black was stood at the top of the stairs, hands clasped around his cane in front of the centre of his body. His cane was the same colour as his robes with a green snakes head as the handle. He stared down at them looking unimpressed, a single brow raised on his otherwise neutral expression. The robes he wore were as black as the night sky with a small badger pinned to his breast as an homage to his deceased wife.

"Unless you would like to be caught." The man continued, "Would you like my grandsons sent to Azkaban?"

Remus was completely tense and Regulus intertwined their hands, holding him firmly. Regulus sent a desperate look to Sirius - if Regulus were to greet him first while they had guests, it would void protocol.

Sirius cleared his throat, giving Grandfather a winning smile. "My Lord Black." Sirius greeted, a smile in place as he bowed. "Might I introduce our guests? My brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, my best friend and Heir of his family James Fleamont Potter, and Regulus' consort, Remus John Lupin."

The word consort made Regulus want to wrinkle his nose, but it was the most appropriate term for high society. Boyfriend was far too plebeian and partner made it seem like they were working on a project together. Husband, spouse or fiancé would be out of place - _at least for now_. So, consort it was. Though, usually a consort was someone's spouse, they _could_ also simply be a companion. Again, high society's way of saying _lover._

"Friends, may I introduce to you, Lord Arcturus Black III. Mine and Regulus' paternal grandfather." Sirius finished, turning when appropriate and keeping his chin held high.

Arcturus Black cut an imposing figure on the average day and it seemed he'd gone all out today. Regulus wasn't sure whether that was due to wanting to scare Remus or perhaps just because he felt like it. It was hard to predict that man.

"Hm." Grandfather hummed, he tilted his head slightly. "Lupin. Would you be so kind as to follow me into my office?"

Holding back a wince, Regulus stroked the back of Remus' hand comfortingly. To invite him into his office was a clear show of status. It was for this reason that Malfoy had been brought straight to Lord Black's office instead of the parlour. He only ever conducted business in his office when in his full capacity as Lord Black.

Sirius barely held back his own grimace and he turned to Remus with a smile. The werewolf was pale and Regulus could feel the sweatiness of his palm. 

Grandfather curled his lip slightly, "I do not have all day, boy." He bit out and Remus straightened, bowing slightly.

"My apologies, Lord Black." He replied evenly and Regulus felt pride fill him. No matter what, Remus was a Gryffindor for a reason and even more so, an alpha. He knew how to play and James beside him was biting back a grin. 

Remus met Grandfather's eye. Despite the distance, Regulus could see the mild approval on Grandfather's face and he wanted to do something silly like swoon or kiss Remus soundly out of pride.

"Grandfather, are Regulus and I required to attend?" Sirius asked smoothly.

Internally, Regulus hoped he would say yes. But before he even opened his mouth, Regulus knew what the answer would be. 

"No." Grandfather replied, "We do not need an audience. It is always best to never leave witnesses, after all." Grandfather added, a slight quirk to his lips and the Black brothers both relaxed. Grandfather may do all he could to scare Remus, but he wouldn't actually hurt him. If he was making jokes and feeling well enough that he could wear a pin dedicated to Melania, then he was likely in a cheerful mood.

Well, cheerful for Lord Black, anyway.

However, James and Remus didn't know that. Not for certain. James flinched and Regulus could practically see his need to draw his wand or make a snappy retort. Remus himself looked uncertain for a moment before his shoulders straightened, he squared his posture and his jaw tensed.

"Lead the way, my Lord Black." Remus said, tone calm and restrained. Regulus watched as Grandfather turned slightly, raising an arm to motion the boy to follow. Remus dipped his head in recognition, a small quirk to his lips as he met Grandfather's eye, keeping their gazes locked challengingly as he strode up the stairs.

Regulus' knees were weak at the striking figure his boyfriend cut. Tall, just taller than Grandfather when they stood side-by-side and unbelievably handsome. Regulus licked his lips as his boyfriend stood at the top of the stairs for a moment, the light illuminated his body making him look powerful and completely untouchable. An odd heat pooled in his stomach at the sight and he refrained the urge to throw himself at Remus and kiss him breathless.

Huh. Weird.

Grandfather lead Remus from the top of the stairs in the direction of his office and the muted sounds of their footsteps were the only sound in the whole manor as far as Regulus could tell.

Well, aside from the unbelievably fast pounding of his heart - was that normal?

"Merlin and Morgana that was terrifying." James breathed, a sharp exhale as he shook his head. "I do not pity Moony right now. The Evans' were like two Puffskeins compared to that."

Sirius snorted amusedly. "Grandfather won't hurt him." He said assuredly.

Regulus' hands were shaking and that odd heat was slowly subsiding. "Remus is so sexy." He whispered before slapping a hand to his mouth. Wide-eyed, he turned to Sirius and James who were both staring at him. Sirius was looking on in horror while James seemed seconds away from bursting into hysterical laughter.

"I need a drink." Sirius muttered, shaking his head and stalking off to the parlour. "Kreacher! A glass of Firewhiskey! Now!" He called. James was roaring with laughter beside him as Regulus pressed his hands to his flaming cheeks.

_"Kreacher! Now!"_

Roughly an hour later, Remus came striding into the parlour with a strange smile on his face.

Regulus immediately jumped to his feet and launched himself at his mate, "Moony?" He whispered, cupping the taller boy's face. "You alright, love?"

Smiling down at him, Remus nodded. His cheeks held more colour to them than they did that morning and his eyes were brighter. "Never better." He promised, pressing a kiss to Regulus' forehead.

"Not dead, I see." Sirius sniped from where he was laid out on the chaise longue, a decanter of Firewhiskey by his side on a little platter. The glass in his hand sloshed slightly as he stared at Remus, "Y-You and I, _Lup-i-in,_ are going to have a s-serious talk."

"We've had one, Padfoot." Remus replied, slightly confusedly as he stared at the alcohol and subtly scented the room. "Pads are you-"

"He's drunk." James piped up, cheeks slightly flushed and hair mussed. "I am a tiny bit too. Not too bad. Little tipsy, perhaps."

Regulus sighed, "I tried to take a sip and was promptly banished to the corner." He huffed. Stupid overprotective brothers. 

"As you should have been." Grandfather was stood in the doorway looking unimpressed, "Why is my Heir drunk?"

Looking flustered, Regulus stared between them all. "Uh. I don't know?"

"Reggie- Little baby Reggie wants-" Sirius sniffled, emotional in his drunken state. "Moony is going to steal my Reggie's honour!"

Remus frowned, "Sirius are you alright?"

Sirius wailed, "My innocent little brother! You're going to steal his virtue!" He howled.

Comprehension dawned on Remus who blanched, "I- I-"

Grandfather sighed, "I knew this day would come." He said, looking at Sirius distastefully. "Such theatrics. Walburga clearly passed that gene along in spades to this one."

Sniffling, Sirius groaned. "Walbitcha is a cunt." He moaned, "Don't speak the evil hags name! She's my Voldemory!"

"Sirius!" Regulus chided, looking at Grandfather apologetically. "I- I am so sorry for him. He's- Well-"

"Sirius, I believe you mean Voldemort." Grandfather replied, rolling his eyes. "Unfortunately, I truly did expect this at some point. Though, I had hoped he would wait until we were not entertaining to have his little meltdown."

Unapologetically, Sirius continued to sniffle. "Grandfather, do you have a big knife-"

"I am not giving you anything to harm your friend with."

"But-"

"No. Sirius, we have spoken about this. Regulus is not a child."

"He is also his own person and his-" Regulus blushed, "The status of my _purity_ is of no concern to you."

Sirius put his hands on his eyes, "I want to die."

"Me too." James said, flushing as he looked at Lord Black. "I apologise, Lord Thwack." He gasped, "Black!"

Grandfather looked unimpressed to most, but there was a lightness in his eyes that made Regulus happy. It had been so long since Grandfather had been truly happy and as of recently, Regulus had been glad to note that he was more jovial. His overall aura was lighter and more free, as if the shackles of his wife's death had been loosened.

But never _removed,_ he would never move on from her death. But perhaps, he was learning to accept it. It was clear that up until recently he hadn't. A part of him was still hoping she would walk through the door, a beautiful smile on her face and her cheeks flushed with life. But that would never happen and Regulus thought that hopefully Grandfather was beginning to accept that.

"Hoppy! Sobering potions, please." He called. James and Sirius looked unconcerned, the latter especially seemed to be contemplating throwing himself out of the window. Though, James would certainly be mortified later and a part of him was hoping Euphemia would somehow find out. Fleamont would find it hilarious, but Euphemia would likely force James to burn his favourite Chaser gloves as punishment.

"Drink." Grandfather instructed, floating the vials over to them. Sirius and James shared confused glances but downed the contents. Within seconds, they both began to bulge their eyes out and looked at Grandfather with abashed expressions.

"Oh- Uh- Grandfather!"

"L-Lord Black, I am terribly-"

"Enough." Grandfather interjected, "Sober up, boys. We have much to discuss."

They left the parlour and made haste to the sitting room that was for guests. If it were only the three Blacks, they would be seated in the family living area, but as it were, James and Remus were not quite family to Grandfather. Remus perhaps would be in time, and so would James as that boy didn't take no for an answer, but as of now, they moved to the guest parlour.

Though, it was not the same stiff parlour for guests that Grandfather didn't like.

Internally, Regulus could remember Remus questioning why they needed three different parlours - Regulus interrupted by saying there were more than three, but before he could properly list them off, his boyfriend had started laughing. He didn't get it. It made perfect sense to him.

"Sit." Grandfather all but demanded. They hastily did so and Grandfather narrowed his eyes at them, lingering on Sirius the longest. "Would you care to explain what that was?"

Sirius swallowed, "I apologise-"

"Yes. Explain."

"Well-" Sirius wrinkled his nose, "It's really Regulus' fault." He whipped his head towards his older brother who looked mulish, "It's true! He was practically panting over Moony and- and they're-"

"Young and in love." Grandfather finished. "Your friend is of honourable character. I would like to congratulate you, Regulus, on finding such a worthy match."

Regulus blushed, "Thank you, Grandfather. That means a lot to me."

Grandfather nodded, sitting in a large armchair as he tilted his head. "You two have my blessing. Although, there shall be no - as the children say - funny business under my roof. Am I clear?" Remus and Regulus were both bright red as they nodded. "Good. Sirius, do grow up. Regulus is a young boy and I highly doubt that you yourself-"

"Grandfather!" Sirius cried.

"Well, is it not true? You must know that I know all about these types of things, I do have two children. How do you think I made them?" Grandfather asked, a slight quirk to his lips.

Sirius gagged, "I really- Can we move on?"

"If you insist." Grandfather smirked but his tone was dry. James was biting his lip to keep from snickering and Remus beside him was completely tense to hide his laughter. "Now, onto much more serious topics. The Horcruxes."

The mood dampened instantly. Each of them remembering their own encounters with the horrible things and sharing uneasy looks. 

"You two understand the severity of this situation. Correct?" James and Remus nodded, grimaces on their faces and Grandfather looked slightly sad for them but nodded. "Good. They are not to be taken lightly and I fear that this one will be tricky."

"Do you know where it is? The map is great but... It wasn't designed to give an exact location." Regulus pointed out. 

"I have done much research." Grandfather continued. "Although I am not yet certain, I have a very high suspicion on the _exact_ location of this Horcrux."

"Exact?" James blinked, "You mean down to the-"

"I mean the precise location that could be written as co-ordinates." Grandfather revealed.

With a staggered breath, Sirius straightened. "Wh- How?"

A swish of his wand and Grandfather laid some newspaper articles out to float in front of them all. The four boys crowded together over the papers and read them carefully.

"As you can see, I have found Tom Riddle's father."

Regulus gaped down at the papers. They were articles on a muggle family of nobility, the Riddles. Located in Little Hangleton, a village that Regulus briefly remembered being near where the dot was on the map. The Riddles were an affluent family, wealthy and supposedly owned the majority of the area that they lived in. Their arrogance and snobbish behaviour meant that many in the village disliked them and upon their deaths, a note in the newspapers made it clear that nobody would miss them.

"They all died?" Remus questioned, "No signs to indicate a probable cause of death, either. Sounds like the killing curse to me." 

Grandfather nodded, "It was. All three of the Riddles were murdered by a wizard. Supposedly, this was done by Morfin Gaunt according to his Azkaban records."

"Morfin Gaunt?" Sirius gaped, "Like, Voldemort's uncle?"

"The very same." Grandfather acknowledged.

James shook his head, "Hang on, this says the Riddles died in 1943. Wasn't Voldemort still in Hogwarts then?"

"He was. I believe he was conducting his own research at the time. Although the name Tom Riddle would not have turned up any results in the wizarding world, his middle name most certainly would have." Grandfather said with a pointed look at Regulus.

"He found out about the Gaunts." James surmised, looking at Regulus. "I bet he confronted that Morfin bloke and set him up for the murders."

Regulus shook his head, "Utterly insane. How does a sixteen year old..."

"Something I found very interesting, happened a few years previous to their deaths." Grandfather said, making another article appear. In this one, the paper spoke of the son of the Riddles returning home 'dazed and confused' and speaking of being 'bewitched'.

"Merope must have used a love potion." Regulus gasped, a hand coming over his mouth. "She was said to have been ugly and the Riddles were all stunning. All these rich families always are."

"Why not a spell?" Remus asked.

Sirius shook his head, "By all accounts, Merope Gaunt was practically a squib. Some squibs have enough magic to make potions, most don't. But there's no way she was able to use a spell like the Imperius, she was too weak."

James scoffed, "Insane. Everyone knows you can't use love potions long term. No wonder Voldemort's so fucked up." He spared a look at Grandfather who waved a hand, "Sorry. But, you get my point. If he was conceived under a potion..."

"It is highly theorised that those born under a love potion are unable to feel true emotion." Grandfather murmured. "It would not surprise me if this is the case. It certainly answers the question as to how he was able to make multiple Horcruxes."

Rubbing a hand on his forehead, Remus sighed. "All of this started because one girl was in love with the wrong guy."

"To be fair, her home life was awful." Sirius pointed out, "But I agree. Merlin, she must have really been desperate."

Regulus frowned, "She's a bloody idiot is what she is." He scoffed uncaringly, "Pitiful, certainly. But she's a ruddy fool if she thought using a love potion long-term was a good idea."

"Clearly." James waved a hand to the papers, "Didn't exactly work out for her."

"So this Horcrux," Sirius said, diverting the attention back to Grandfather, "Where exactly do you think it is?"

With a slight smirk, Grandfather enlarged an image of the Riddle House, "This, is the main residence of the Riddles. I had thought perhaps he would have left it in there, but it is far too muggle. He would not have left his Horcrux with the family that did not want him - _especially_ as they were muggles and therefore, animals to him."

A tap of his wand, the image enlarged further. In the background, though it was difficult to make out, was an image of a little hut. 

Regulus gasped, "The Gaunts were said to live in a shack!"

"They lived so close by." James muttered, "Bet they loved that. The Gaunts were more rampant in their blood purity than any other family in Britain." He grimaced.

Grandfather curled his lip, "So much so, that they inbred themselves into squalor. A shack is a generous word for their place of residence."

Sirius blinked, "So it's in the shack?"

"Yes. And I also believe I know _what_ the Horcrux is."

Sirius snorted, "What is it this time?" He asked sarcastically, "Perhaps it'll be a nice big pile of tinder that we can just burn. Or, oh, maybe he had a nice pair of socks he loved so very much. Unless he managed to find some kind of artefact from bloody Merlin."

"Not quite, I am afraid." Grandfather said dryly in response to Sirius' sarcasm. He waved his wand and made a certain article stand out. "This is the arrest report for Morfin Gaunt. In his testimony, he consistently mentions how proud he is of the murders and that he regrets nothing about what he did."

"He wasn't even under Veritaserum." Remus pointed out, "So that's definitely suspicious."

"It's obvious that Voldemort messed with his memory." James ran a hand through his hair, "You'd think the Ministry would have noticed. Not even the most deranged murderers would be that quick to confess."

"They wouldn't have cared." Sirius remarked, "It's the Ministry, for one thing. And to them, it would be pretty open-and-shut. Morfin had already been locked up for attacking muggles with his father. They probably didn't even bother to properly process him and just threw him in a cell."

"A cell in which he died in." Grandfather commented. "It is curious, however. Although his memory was certainly tampered with, there is one consistent point he made. Multiple times, in fact."

Regulus scoured the report, "His father's ring?" He tilted his head, "Oh! That's brilliant! Marvolo Gaunt's ring would have been the Lord's ring, yes?"

Grandfather nodded, "Good eye."

"Voldemort took it." Sirius blinked, "He would have loved having a Lordship ring on his finger. Probably showed it off in school."

"Ah, speaking of which." Grandfather vanished the articles, "I had a little chat with Horace Slughorn."

Regulus stared, "About?"

"We spoke of many things. However, a little ah, how should I say-"

"Blackmail?" Sirius asked amusedly, a smirk on his lips and his eyebrow raised. 

Grandfather frowned minutely, "No, I would like to call it reminding him of who I am and then asking the right questions."

"Right, of course. Silly me."

"Besides, it worked out." Grandfather waved a hand, "Although he was very reluctant to speak of Tom Riddle, he did mention the boy coming back to Hogwarts one day with a rather large ring. According to him, he rarely ever took it off and it was a point of pride for him. He said it was a family heirloom, however when Slughorn tried to pry into his origins, Riddle - very charmingly - told him it was none of his business."

James snorted, "Bet that worked out."

"By all accounts, Riddle was very charming." Regulus rolled his eyes, "I bet Slughorn just laughed and let it drop. Always has been ridiculously complacent with his little favourites."

James coughed, "Snape."

"Quite." Regulus commented, "So, the Gaunt ring is the final Horcrux?"

"Yes, though I believe it was likely his second chronologically."

Remus furrowed his brows, "There's no way he was wearing a Horcrux in school. He must have made it after he graduated."

"He would have already had the diary, so it is likely." Grandfather agreed. "We shall go for this Horcrux tomorrow. Prepare yourselves. If this is his second Horcrux then it is likely it will be much like the diary or the diadem were."

"They were the biggest pieces." Sirius acknowledged, "But the diadem had magical properties. The ring won't."

Grandfather looked slightly uncomfortable and Regulus felt a sense of foreboding. "Perhaps." He nodded, "Relax for the rest of the day. You will need all your strength."

"Is there a reason we're going tomorrow?" Regulus asked cautiously.

"The dinner will mean guests will begin arriving within a few days. I would like us to secure this final Horcrux first." Grandfather replied, "I believe this one will be more difficult than anticipated."

Sirius' expression changed into something accusing, "You know something."

Sighing, Grandfather looked away. "It is mere speculation at best. Though, if I am correct, this one may be the hardest."

Regulus swallowed, "Why?"

"It has to do with many factors. One of which, I am uncertain whether I should reveal." He said, casting a quick glance at James who frowned.

"Would you like me to leave?"

Grandfather narrowed his eyes at him, "No. Although, what do you know of your lines heritage?"

James scrutinised the man and Regulus wondered at what was going through his head. James' head tilted and his lips pursed. "We're old. Far older than most purebloods like to acknowledge."

"The Potters are most certainly ancient." Grandfather agreed, "Your heritage can be traced back to roughly the same period as ours. Only the Gaunts and perhaps the Ollivanders are able to do the same."

Regulus tilted his head, trying to think back to all of the pureblood knowledge he had been forced to memorise. Being able to recognise an Heir to their fourth great-grandparents was a requirement in the Black family but he couldn't quite tell where this was going.

"Linfred of Stinchcombe was the founding patriarch of the Potter family." James rattled off as if he were parroting words he had read from a family scripture. "His eldest son was Hardwin Potter who married Iolanthe Peverell - who was actually the one to-" James blinked, looking at Grandfather uneasily. 

"My grandsons have informed me of your family cloak, Heir Potter." James looked at them startled, "Do not worry, I had already known it was in your hands. Your father once had a run in with the Head Boy while he was wearing said cloak and it was only due to the prefect's kind heart that the item was not reported and subsequently confiscated."

James gaped, "You?"

"Correct. Your father was perhaps in his first or second year at the time and I was uncaring of his little misdeeds." Grandfather waved a hand, "When I heard that you and my grandson were always up to mischief but rarely got caught - well, I am no fool."

James nodded, "Uh- Right. Well, Iolanthe Peverell was the one to have the cloak in the first place. It was a Peverell family tradition but she was the last of the Peverell's and by marrying into the Potters-"

"The House became extinct in the male line. Yes." Grandfather hummed, "Curious."

Regulus stared at his grandfather for a moment. Why would he care about the origins of the Potter line?

Unless...

"The Peverells." Regulus started, "You think somehow they're related to the Gaunts?"

"I'm related to Voldemort?" James cried, looking nauseous.

"Very distantly. But yes." Grandfather agreed, "Though they died out in the male line, the female lines continued into many purebloods families. I do not know exactly who, but I am almost certain they must have been married into the Gaunts at some point."

Remus raised an eyebrow, "And this is important because..." He trailed off.

Sirius' eyes widened at the same moment that Regulus gasped. "The cloak!" They both cried at the same time.

James blinked, "What about my cloak?"

"Merlin, Reggie, you were right." Sirius shook his head. "It's definitely more than just a bloody heirloom." He laughed.

Regulus nodded, remembering the conversation they'd had when he first saw the invisibility cloak. He had known that it couldn't be just a simple heirloom and he had thought of the famed tale of the three bothers that were touched by Death, but he had thought it impossible. The proud look Grandfather was giving them made him feel faint.

"Oh sweet Salazar." Regulus breathed. 

Disgruntled, James waved a hand. "Somebody fill me in?"

"The Tale of Three Brothers." Sirius said.

Blinking several times, James shook his head with a laugh. "No way."

Grandfather hummed, "And if I am correct, the eldest of the Peverell brothers died childless. The second son however, had a lover before his death. It is highly possible she birthed him a child."

Remus gaped, "You mean... James' cloak is _the_ cloak of invisibility? From the story?"

"It has to be." Regulus whispered, "I always knew something was off.. even the best invisibility cloaks wear off after a certain amount of time. But James'..."

"It's been in the family since Iolanthe Peverell gave it to the son she had with Hardwin Potter." James recounted, "But it was from her grandfather, Ignotus, that she received the cloak. He had given it to her father and although the tradition was to give it to your son, they had no sons left. So it went to her."

Sirius rubbed his forehead, "You're just proving the point then, Jamie. The three Peverell brothers must be the brothers from the story."

"It adds up." Remus pointed out, "If the eldest died but the second had a child.. wouldn't that mean the Gaunts would have.. the Resurrection Stone?"

"Horace Slughorn described the ring to me. It was a large, black stone with a symbol on the face, set onto a gold band."

James frowned, "Does he know what the symbol is? Or did he describe it at least?"

"He said it was a triangle, inside of which was a vertical line and a circle." Grandfather said, drawing out the symbol as he spoke.

Sirius beamed, "The Deathly Hallows." He threw his head back and laughed, "That's-"

"The symbol on Ignotus' grave." James piped up. When they all - even Grandfather - looked at him oddly he shrugged, "It's in the Potter mausoleum. Not everyone gets buried there - only the main line - but I'd recognise it anywhere. I used to draw it a lot but Dad said I shouldn't. Apparently Grindelwald adopted the symbol as his own at some point."

"But that just proves it. Ignotus is the third brother, which means, the Stone is in the Horcrux." Regulus pointed out.

Remus grimaced, "The Stone is said to have been given by Death. Could you imagine-"

"Bloody hell! Voldemort has the Resurrection Stone!" Sirius cried, "Doesn't he realise what he could do with that?"

"He grew up muggle." Regulus remarked, "He probably didn't even know what the Tale of Three Brothers was."

Grandfather hummed, "Correct, Regulus. However, your consort brings up a good point. If the soul pieces are able to be strengthened by the object in which they are encased, I fear for how this endeavour will go."

Regulus bit his lip. James and Sirius were sharing determined looks and Remus looked slightly worried. Regulus didn't want any of them to feel like they had to do this. Chances were, this one would be bad. They didn't have to do this, perhaps-

"You get that look off your face, puppy." Sirius demanded, glaring at him. 

Regulus sighed, "Maybe not everyone should take part-"

"Unless you're offering to stay behind, stop talking." James glowered, "We aren't leaving."

"Certainly not!" Remus cried, "We know how dangerous this could get and yet we're still here. Stop being so self-sacrificing."

"I am inclined to agree with such a statement." Grandfather peered at Regulus astutely, "Your worry for your friends is commendable but unnecessary. They are Hogwarts graduates now. If anything, I am tempted to demand you stay here."

"What! You can't! Please- Grandfather-"

"However, I know better. You will all be coming, if you wish. I believe the extra numbers will be crucial for this mission to succeed." Grandfather said sternly. "Boys, are you all willing to take part in this endeavour? It will be fraught with danger."

James nodded once, "Of course we're in."

"Agreed." Remus added.

"You know I'm in." Sirius waved a hand, "Reggie is too as long as he keeps his mouth shut."

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Oh yes, excuse me for being worried about my brother, my boyfriend and my best friend."

"Best friend?" James grinned. He turned to Sirius with a fake mournful look, "Terribly sorry, old chap. But it appears you've been replaced with a younger and prettier model."

Sirius took his shoe off and threw it at James who squeaked. "Twat."

"Such tomfoolery." Grandfather chided, "If you break anything, you pay for it in blood." Grandfather sniped, standing and waving his wand to right the furniture that had been dragged around. "I shall see you at dinner."

"Why not lunch?" Sirius frowned.

With a sneer, Grandfather tightened his hand on his cane. "The Ministry have a final Wizengamot session set for then. It is a mere formality - the laws have already been written but after today, an urgent notice shall be sent to all witches and wizards on the British Isles. By dinnertime, everyone will be informed of the upcoming changes."

James blinked, "Is that the same law that Dad had to vote on a couple of months ago?"

"Yes. The vote was a quick one but these things take time to process. It is now ready - final preparations will be in place. This meeting will likely be the Heads of the different departments fluttering about like imbeciles while the majority of the Lords do nothing but complain."

"You included?" Sirius asked cheekily.

Grandfather gave an amused roll of his eyes, "Brat." He sniffed before turning and leaving.

Regulus snickered. "You're lucky Grandfather likes you, else he'd probably feed you to a Hippogriff."

"I'm too lovable." Sirius insisted.

"I can't believe I got drunk with you." James groaned, pressing his hands against his face. "Mum's going to bloody kill me if she finds out."

"Can't wait." Remus said dryly.

Regulus jerked, "Oh! How was your talk with Grandfather? He wasn't too much, was he?" Regulus asked, eyes-wide and a slight nervousness began to build in his stomach.

Remus gave a reassuring grin, kissing him on his temple and fiddling with Regulus' bracelet. "Never fear, my dear. I survived, as you can see. There was a lot of thinly veiled threats, followed by actual threats and then a demonstration of what will happen should I shirk my duties as your consort."

"Demonstration?" James asked warily.

Remus gave an odd twist of his lips, "Gruesome."

Sirius laughed, "Did he show you the weapons room?"

"Yes." Remus nodded. "And some other places."

Regulus giggled, "He showed you the old wood furnace, didn't he?"

"Yes." Remus said mournfully, "Is it true that-"

"Uh-huh." Sirius nodded, grinning at Remus' unease. "Burned the Lord's mistress alive right in that furnace. Not as bad as the witch that cooked her husband's bastard and fed it to him."

"What the fuck!" James cried. "What the-"

Regulus shrugged, "Blacks are possessive."

"There's possessive and then there's evil! That's-" He shook his head, "Was the kid at least dead?"

Sirius waved a hand, "Oh, yeah. The kid had died a couple days prior due to some illness. The Lord wanted to bury his child in a Black property as an unmarked grave and the wife found out. Worst part was, the kid was actually like nineteen or something and the Lord had been screwing her younger sister for decades."

"How much younger?" Remus grimaced.

"Oh, only like a year or two. She wasn't underage or anything but they'd been having an affair since before they even got married." Sirius shrugged, "I could see Reggie doing that to someone."

Regulus sniffed, "I'd never." He smiled, "It's always the cheater's fault. I wouldn't take it out on the innocent child."

James grinned maniacally, "Imagine if you found out Moony and Padfoot were having a torrid affair."

Sirius gagged, "Love you, Moons. But no thanks."

"You're not my type." Remus assured. "Too annoying."

Regulus beamed, "You're mine anyway. I don't care if he was your perfect type. Once I got my claws in, Lupin, I'm never letting go."

Remus purred, "Feisty little mate. Don't worry, love. I'd happily show any possible lover you may have not to touch a werewolf's mate."

That same heat burned in Regulus' stomach and he leaned in closer to Remus. A part of him felt unsure, but another part of him felt like this was natural. It made sense. Remus was beautiful and kind and a part of him wanted to-

His eyes widened at the same time that Sirius let out a rather loud groan. "Right. You two are cute but I'll end up killing Moony if I have to see you two make eyes at each other."

"Right?" James snorted, "We get it, you two are horny. Fuck and get it over with."

The room went silent. Sirius was glowering at James fiercely, Remus was looking increasingly embarrassed - but like he'd been caught in the act of doing something nefarious which made Regulus' stomach twist. For Regulus, he didn't know anything about.. _intercourse._

Ah, even the word made him uncomfortable. He had not really explored himself sexually. Of course, he had woken up aroused multiple times but he never really did anything. At Grimmauld, it was always too likely that Mother would burst in and at school it was impossible to get any privacy. Though, he had been having more... _interesting_ dreams ever since he and Remus became a couple.

But it wasn't something he was very comfortable exploring as of yet. He bit his lip unsurely. Remus seemed like he wanted to but Regulus wasn't so sure. What if Remus got upset with him for not wanting to have sex yet? What if he didn't want to wait? What if he was disappointed or if he got bored-

"Love." Remus murmured, stroking his arm. "You alright?"

"Y-Yes!" Regulus nodded jerkily. "Should we give you a tour of the place?" He asked, desperate to change the subject.

James jumped to his feet, "Yes! I want to see your torture chamber." He spared a look at Sirius who was still glaring at him, "On second thought, why don't we go and look at the- uh-"

"We walked past a library, I didn't get to see it though." Remus mentioned.

James sent him a thankful look. "Yes! Sure! I love libraries." He nodded, faltering slightly when he realised what he said, mouthing the words incredulously to himself.

"There's bound to be a load of books you'll both find interesting." Regulus agreed, "Let's do a little tour. And Siri, stop staring at James like you want to kill him."

Sirius huffed, "Kill Moony for good measure." He murmured, pushing past them grumpily.

James grinned, "Isn't he just a ball of sunshine?" He then ducked as a spell whizzed over his head, exactly where his face would have been. "Oi!"

"You're fine." Sirius called from where he was leaning against the wall down the hallway.

"Was that- _Sirius!"_ Regulus gaped, "That would have removed all of his teeth for a week!"

Sirius sniffed, "Shame I missed."

James choked, bursting into laughter. "Okay. You're my best friend again!"

Sirius blinked looking mollified. "That wasn't-" He sighed, "Whatever. Fine. Let's go watch Remus pant over some books."

"As long as he's not panting over Reggie." James sang.

Sirius glowered again and Regulus refrained from sighing as they left, turning the corner and bickering while progressively getting louder.

"Hey." Remus whispered, tapping him on the shoulder. Regulus turned and looked up at his boyfriend inquisitively, "Don't worry about- uh, about that stuff. Yeah? We're good where we're at. There's no rush. We could never do it and that would be find. Don't push yourself, okay?" Remus murmured, kissing his nose.

Regulus wrinkled his nose and wrapped his arms around Remus' waist. "Damn you. You know me too well."

"I do." Remus hummed, "I love you baby. Truly, I don't care about that. James' just joking-"

"No, I know. Jamie's an idiot but he means well. And Siri- well. He's a prat. But I..." He bit his lip. "I love you so much, Remus. But I don't think I want that. Not yet. I'm not.. I'm not comfortable yet."

Remus gave him a soft smile, kissing him gently. "I know. I can tell. You don't need to be ashamed. Not everyone is as interested in sex as bloody McLaggen." 

Regulus grimaced. He _hated_ Ronan McLaggen. His brother had once mentioned he had a bad run in with the boys older brother, Donovan, which didn't surprise him. Ronan was supposedly just like the boy and he was a right arsehole. Bragged about himself non-stop, according to Lily who had once had the misfortune of going to Hogsmeade with him.

She had said the boy spoke constantly about the many witches he'd bedded and how it was only a matter of time before Lily 'fell in line'. Lily had - understandably really - hexed him senseless and stormed off, dumping a butterbeer on his head for good measure. 

McLaggen had been one of the few Gryffindors that was very against Regulus' presence at their table and in their common room. Sirius and Remus had both threatened to punch him and Regulus refrained from telling them that he'd beaten them to it. 

_Well, he'd kicked the prick in the balls. But close enough._

"Alright, love?" Remus murmured in his ear. Regulus shivered and tightened his arms around Remus. 

"Was Grandfather really okay? You- You haven't been scared off?" He asked shyly.

Remus startled before laughing, "Reg, baby, I love you but that's the most ridiculous thing you've ever said. I've helped you find a Horcrux and I've been friends with your brother for years. I know the special kind of Black insanity. Bloody hell, I'm a werewolf and you didn't run away from me, did you?"

"Well. No." Regulus admitted. 

"See? So why would I run from you? Your Grandfather is terrifying, don't get me wrong. He almost gave me a heart attack when he appeared at the staircase honestly. But I love you. Which I told him, repeatedly. No matter what, I love you. No threat will work on me, love. I'm afraid I'm completely gone on you." Remus sighed, "Guess that means I'll have to sit and endure your awful family at dinner."

Regulus snickered, "They're not that bad." At Remus' look, he rolled his eyes, "Okay, they're not great. But some of them are going to love you!"

"Some." Remus emphasised, "Most will hate me on sight."

"Oh not as much as they'll hate James." Regulus waved a hand, "Mother especially. She'll hate you, yes, but she already despises James."

Remus gaped for a moment, "I- Why?"

"She blames him for Sirius turning out the way he did." Regulus shrugged, "Thinks everything is Potter's fault. If you remember I did too, for a time. James Potter is probably top of Walburga Black's hitlist. Maybe I've overtaken him now for the debacle I caused at dinner. Perhaps Siri too. But either way, she hates him."

Remus blinked before throwing his head back and laughing, "She's going to love this dinner then, all of us there at once."

"I don't doubt it." Regulus smirked. He tightened his arms in a light squeeze before releasing, "Come on, let's go make sure the idiots haven't blown up the library."

Remus made a startled sound, "Oh, yes. We need to hurry, we don't want to risk their safety."

Taking a few steps, Regulus quirked his lips in a smile. "You're talking about the books, aren't you?"

Snorting, Remus turned to him. "Of course."

Regulus sighed dreamily, "I knew I loved you for a reason."

Remus' boisterous laughter echoing through the hallway was music to his ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't Remus and Regulus sweet? Remus Lupin would be the best boyfriend ever you can not change my mind!
> 
> Little Reggie is inexperienced and unsure but he's cute. Sirius.. poor dramatic Sirius! And bless James, he's always up for a laugh but he's the best friend you could ask for. And Grandfather Arcturus, well he's just fun!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! <3
> 
> Cause next chapter is... well.. uh... :D


	33. The Final Horcrux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final Horcrux is to be acquired. But can they do it with them all surviving the night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Dark themes, animal death, talk of murder, rape, suicide, mental illness, gore, abuse, assault, um.. grave desecration??
> 
> Enjoy this chapter - it's the longest one yet! 16k!!

They all stood in Grandfather's office, solemn and weary for the events that were sure to follow.

"Currently, it is close to nightfall." Grandfather began steadily. "I have chosen this time to ensure we have the cover of darkness." He continued, "The Gaunt shack is - luckily for us - well hidden beyond some overgrown bushes and trees. I... scoped the place out to see if I could feel any Dark Magic residue." Grandfather admitted.

Sirius gaped, "What? When?"

"Weeks ago, my boy. Roughly around the time that you were beginning your exams. I had a hunch, you see, and I needed to satisfy my curiosity." 

"So that's where Reggie gets it from. 'Cause who cares about consequences right? Let's go storm the shack - fuck it, let's go to Lestrange Manor and duel Voldemort right now. I have a _hunch_ I could beat him!" Sirius seethed.

Regulus laid a hand on his arm, "Sirius." He said firmly, "I'm sure Grandfather didn't go _inside_ the shack."

"Correct." Grandfather agreed, "Do keep your temper in check, Sirius. The Horcrux will only feed off of your anger. That goes for all of you boys." He said sternly. 

"Understood." James said grimly. "So what did you find when you went there?"

"Ah, well. As I said, I hadn't been sure whether or not the Horcrux was actually there or not. I first went to Riddle House as - although they're muggles - a well built manor home makes much more sense security wise, does it not?" He shook his head, "Alas, I could feel the rotten aura of his magic the moment I stepped close to where I believe the hut was. However, I could not see it."

"It's that bad?" Remus grimaced.

Nodding reluctantly, Grandfather added. "It was potent. Much like the cup or the diary. However, there was a difference in the magic. It was much like I would assume the cave would have been like."

Regulus flinched beside him and Sirius stroked his arm, noticing Remus tightening his hold on his hand. "How so?" Regulus murmured unsurely.

"I believe Voldemort himself added curses to the protections. That, is why I believe gathering this Horcrux will be the hardest one yet." Grandfather admitted, "The stench of his magic was so potent, the area around Horcrux is dying."

"Dying?" Sirius gaped, "Only extremely Dark Arts spells could give that kind of effect. The Horcruxes can make things dimmer or less lively, but to actually be draining the life out of the area surrounding it..." He trailed off.

James grimaced beside him, "Foul. How bad are we talking?"

"The whole area was dying. The wood of the trees nearby were rotten and decaying. Many of the homes were also slowly turning to ruin. Whatever magics he has used are draining the life of the earth in and around the shack. Signs of the magic was present all the way through what little I saw of the village. I despair over the state of the place."

Shuddering, Sirius shook his head. "That's bad. That's very bad. What kind of curses could he have put on the ring?"

"Who knows." Remus muttered, "Could be anything. He could have even put curses on the whole area."

"Precisely." Grandfather mused. "We must tread carefully." 

Sirius pressed his palms into his eyes painfully. This was just a nightmare really. They'd gotten oddly lucky on the whole Horcrux hunt. Besides the cave, none of the Horcruxes had really caused that many problems that weren't easily managed. The defences around the locket were what had almost cost Regulus his life and if he had put similar defences on the ring - they were screwed.

"Great." Sirius grumbled, "Just bloody marvellous. Right, Reggie, how about you stay here and-"

"No." Regulus affirmed. "I'm coming."

"Right, well, no point asking Remus to stay if Reg is coming. Jamie, I don't suppose-"

"We're all coming, Padfoot. You almost bit Reggie's head off yesterday for doing exactly what you're doing now." James said.

Sirius snorted derisively, "Yes but that was before I realised this one's gonna be a right bitch and a half. This- Reggie, you realise, don't you?"

"Yes." Regulus mumbled, downcast. "This one will be like the cave. There will be proper protections in place.. this isn't going to be as easy as the others."

"Because robbing Gringotts and pilfering Malfoy Manor sounds so simple." Remus snarked.

Regulus looked at him sombrely, "Moony." He mumbled, "This one is different. The cup had a few enchantments but they were done by Bella and Grandfather took care of them. Malfoy Manor was easy - Abraxas Malfoy was never an especially powerful wizard. But Voldemort..."

"I get it. I do. But there's five of us here and we're all talented wizards. Luckily, in many different ways." Remus pointed out, "We can't let this get us down."

"Right!" James tried to sound cheery, "Voldemort's a powerful bastard, but we're not bad ourselves. If we get all mopey we'll fail. We have to think like winners."

Sirius stared at him, "That's almost the exact same line you used at the last Quidditch game."

"Worked though, didn't it? We won!" James cheered, cheeks flushing happily. "Beat ickle Reggie's team."

"I still caught the snitch." Regulus sniffed, "You only won by twenty points."

"Still won." James sang.

Grandfather looked amused despite himself, "Boys. We must stay positive. Heir Potter is correct. Our minds are the Horcruxes playground - we must not allow them entry. Potter, Lupin, I've been informed you are both learning occlumency?"

James nodded, "Yes. After running into that diadem-" He cut himself off with a grimace. "We're not too bad, actually. Definitely won't be any good against a proper invasion with eye contact, but we can shield our minds from outward influences."

"Good." Grandfather said tonelessly, "You shall need those shields, keep them up and do not allow your attention to waver."

James and Sirius looked at Remus and Regulus who were holding hands tightly. "Right, well-" Sirius swallowed, turning back to Grandfather. "Should we go?"

"Let us depart." Grandfather said solemnly, holding out the small chain that he had turned into a portkey.

Regulus exhaled shakily while James and Remus looked at the portkey of dubious origins and barely blinked. Sirius thought that was a good thing, they were getting used to the Black's penchant for doing things of questionable legality. Well, they'd have to be now, considering what they're doing is technically stealing even if it is from a Dark Lord.

The portkey glowed, flashing once and the five of them were whisked away.

They appeared in what appeared to be a graveyard.

Sirius took a moment to right himself and check that everyone was okay. Regulus and Remus were still holding hands, James looked disgruntled and Grandfather looked slightly ill. Sirius hoped this war would be over soon. He hadn't mentioned it, but Grandfather was getting old and the frequent stress and strain on his body wasn't good for him.

In the distance, Sirius could already spot Riddle Manor. Dusk was beginning to darken into true night, but it was just light enough that he could see the house in all of it's demented glory. The home was very large, especially by muggle standards. It was no Black Manor, even Potter Manor and Malfoy Manor were larger, but it was certainly a large estate home. The way it sat on the top of the hill, overlooking all the tiny muggle homes made Sirius' lip curl.

He may feel sorry that they died and he honestly pitied the older Tom Riddle for being given a love potion, but the fact that the Riddles were _so_ unpopular that the muggle townspeople had no issue speaking ill of them even though they were dead, was telling. The Riddle House loomed in the distance and it truly did appear as if it were looking down on the area surrounding it. 

The townspeople must have truly hated the Riddles and from the sight of the home, he could see why. Nobody that lived in a home that large would be without arrogance. But the Riddles reportedly had owned the majority of the village and although originally they were likely good people for having rented out the land for the farmers and for people to live in the homes, their descendants were clearly greedy bastards.

From where Sirius stood, he could already tell the home was dilapidated. Which made sense as the Riddles had been murdered roughly thirty-five years previously and as far as he was aware there were no other occupants. He had read in one of the articles that there was a caretaker that still sometimes checked on the house and apparently it was common for teenagers seeking a thrill to try and sneak into the house.

He just hoped that none of them had ever found the Gaunt shack and thought to go inside. Anyone who dared likely met a sticky end. Especially if they were a muggle.

Sirius turned away from the house and tried to spot the shack that he knew was by the hill, but he couldn't. Though, from where he was, he could certainly see the signs of decay in the area.

It was as if the air itself were teeming with bacteria and viral infection, the ground rife with parasites. Trees, even near the graveyard which was a fair distance away, were gnarled and twisted as if trying to devour themselves. Birds and small rodents all seemed sickly and like something out of a horror movie - something Remus had once shown him.

The ground was dry and cracking, the pavement was fractured and clearly hadn't been repaired in a while. The buildings were all run down looking too, wood, brick and concrete all seeming weak and fissured. Rot and mould covering the walls of the houses and businesses. Some of them were so blackened they looked as if they'd been scorched in a fire. Above, the sky itself was dark. A grey cloud seemed to hang over the little village and Sirius pitied the residents of Little Hangleton. This place was awful.

"Isn't this place lovely." James said dryly.

Sirius shook his head incredulously, "How has nobody investigated this place yet? It's..."

"Dying." Regulus murmured. "The whole area has been affected. The Horcrux must have been here for years... it's been infecting the area. Did you-"

"I checked. Crime rate in the area as increased exponentially. Anyone who lived too close to the Riddle House either became unwell and died shortly after or were driven mad. Unless, of course, they began to turn to crime or fled the area. The place is known nationally as one of _the_ worst places to live. Employment rates dwindled, especially as all of the farmland became unsuitable."

"Unsuitable?" Regulus asked, looking wary of the answer.

Grandfather's lip curled, "All of the food produced in the area was riddled with disease. Meat spoiled, insects fed on the perishables and any kind of wheat crop was too dry to be used. Animals started showing signs first. They began to drop like flies. Then it was the food, the area itself... then the people."

Remus looked horrified, "How.. _How_ have the Ministry not picked up on this?"

"I do not know." Grandfather frowned, "Believe me, once we have removed the Horcrux I shall be bringing this to attention. The mortality rate in the area is despicable."

"Murders?" Sirius asked, "Or ill-health?"

"Both." He shook his head sadly, "First, the reports were small. Petty crimes like theft and the like. Then home invasions started. Assaults were a daily occurrences, parents began abusing their children, men were beating their wives harder than ever... then the murder and sexual assault rates began to skyrocket. Not to mention the suicides and those that were hospitalised due to mental illness."

Regulus staggered on his feet, "This is inhumane."

"It's like a little town from your nightmares." Remus whispered, aghast.

Sirius felt his stomach roll. The few people he could see were walking around with their eyes darting around fearfully. They didn't notice the five wizards due to the notice-me-not charms, but Sirius could certainly see them. Mothers gripping their children a little too tightly, a man holding his wife's hand and talking wildly, ignoring her flinching anytime his hand came too close to her face, a woman was screaming at her daughter - ranting and raving about the police sirens even though it was utterly silent aside from her own noise. Their clothes were all tattered and threadbare, mere rags really and their hygiene was poor, the little girl for example, had unkempt greasy hair while her mother had dirt smeared across her cheeks.

"This place is abhorrent." Regulus whispered.

James swallowed thickly, "We need to get the Horcrux out of here, immediately. These people are all suffering."

"They've been suffering for years." Remus rubbed his forehead, "The Riddles were murdered over three decades ago and Voldemort likely placed the Horcrux shortly after." He shook his head, "If he came back and placed curses... that's probably what made it worse."

"I believe he's regularly been coming back to recast the curses." Grandfather mused, eyes shadowed as he waved his wand at the little girl who was sobbing as her mother pulled her hair. The woman suddenly stopped and began soothing her daughter who looked so confused it broke Sirius' heart. "It is the only way the magic would still be so strong after all these years." His eyes darkened in disgust as he saw the man and his wife, sending a spell at the man who hurriedly ran away.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, "He must have. Else they would have worn off by now. Unless he's used some ritualistic blood magic."

"Which is also a possibility." Regulus sighed, "But I doubt he would use his own blood."

"No, but he doesn't exactly have a shortage of servants willing to bleed themselves dry for him, does he?" James asked sarcastically. "Godric, can we hurry this along? Being here..."

Grandfather nodded once, "First, we must remove any traces of the Riddles." Grandfather motioned towards the large grave stone that Sirius hadn't noticed before. 

Sirius took a moment to properly examine the graveyard they were in. The ground was overgrown and dry which was unsurprising. A whole array of headstones littered the ground, graves stretching on much farther than he anticipated and he grimaced as he observed some of the names and dates on the stones. So many innocent people and the majority of which seemed to have died within the past thirty years.

Stone obelisks, statues and carved angels made up some of the more grand gravesites. There were even a few above ground mausoleums and he raised his eyebrow at the row of sarcophaguses. A large, marble headstone right near where they were gathered marked the Riddles resting place. Tom Riddle, Thomas Riddle and Mary Riddle - all dead as of 1943.

A part of him wondered if Voldemort told them who he was. The report said they had all been found dead around their dining table. He could almost picture it; Voldemort, young and full of a dark _desperate_ need to belong, storming their home and informing them of his identity. The boy was probably hopeful that they'd accept him, be eager for a strapping young wizard in the family.

But he could most certainly picture the Riddles reaction; it was how Walburga would likely react if someone stormed Grimmauld and insisted they were a long lost relative. They likely laughed in his face and demanded he leave. Probably even threatened to call the police. Tom Senior certainly wouldn't have wanted a thing to do with his bastard child - the child that a woman had forced him into conceiving.

The Riddle parents probably snickered and giggled at him, returning to their food without a care for the illegitimate child of their son. He was of no consequence to them. He was nothing and nobody to _anyone._ That's probably what sent Voldemort into a rage. Having the last of his family turn their backs on him, proving that he truly was worth nothing.

A stone statue depicting an Angel of Death was the most striking feature in the graveyard. Skeletal hands grasped a scythe while a skeletal face stared out of a hooded cloak, eyes boring into you no matter where you stood in the burial ground. Sirius felt a shiver crawl up his spine, this place truly did radiate death.

"What do you mean remove the last traces of them?" James asked, frowning at the marble stone with the Riddles names on.

Regulus and Sirius shared grim looks. They knew what Grandfather meant.

Sirius took a step forward, "We'll be removing the Riddle's bodies."

"You want to desecrate their graves?" Remus hissed, looking around fearfully. "Haven't you heard you aren't supposed to disturb the dead?"

"If anything, this would bring them peace." Regulus murmured, "We're trying to get rid of Voldemort for good. Off the top of my head I can think of at least three different Dark Arts rituals that will bring someone back to life. All of which include bone of the father."

"There's more of course." Sirius hummed, "Some require the lifeblood of the mother, some require the amniotic fluid of the-slash-a mother mixed with the semen of the father... there's some that work through using siblings." He listed.

"You've been doing your reading." Grandfather said appraisingly. "I am impressed."

Sirius grinned, "Fascinating stuff. Never know when I might need to know how to summon one of my ancestors and allow them to possess an unwilling sacrifice I have prepared."

James sighed, "I can't tell if you're joking."

Shrugging, Sirius ignored the question. Best not to tell James about that ritual that lets you summon your own personal reaper to take people out for you. The stipulation being that you must trade your soul's place in the afterlife to basically become the reaper's bitch - so it's understandable why the ritual hasn't ever really been used.

It's a good thing wizards are generally smart enough not to gamble their very soul.

You know, _usually,_ anyway.

Staring down at where he knew the Riddle's were buried, he sighed. "Let's just get this over with. We need to take the bones and light them up."

"Fiendfyre?" Remus asked uncertainly. "I thought you couldn't control it yet?"

Sirius frowned, "I can, mostly. But no, not Fiendfyre." And he could. He had gotten much better at casting the curse but he wasn't quite ready to test it against the Horcruxes.

"Just a normal fire will do." Regulus responded, using his wand to highlight where the bodies were. "I'll take Mary."

"I shall take the eldest male." Grandfather said, moving to Thomas Riddle's grave. James had gone to join Regulus, cringing slightly as they removed the dirt that Regulus had marked off.

That left Sirius with Voldemort's father, lovely. Sirius began to section off Tom Riddle's grave with Remus' help. They made quick work of shovelling out the dirt and he looked up to see James coughing as they unearthed Mary Riddle's remains. His best friend looked grim and it occurred to Sirius that he really was throwing his friends into the deep end on this.

"You can back away, Moony." Sirius reminded the werewolf.

Remus raised and eyebrow and flicked his wand to pull up the coffin, letting the lid fall open. The werewolf met his eyes challengingly and Sirius snorted, shaking his head. They looked down at the body and Sirius grimaced.

Tom Riddle was only just beginning to properly decompose, his leathery skin was taught around his face and Sirius grimaced. Parts of his flesh and skin had blackened and areas around his face were sinking in. The area around his mouth and lips looked to have been eaten away and his teeth were yellowed as they peeked through what remained of his skin. His eyes were closed thankfully and his clothes were strangely in tact which covered up the majority of the body.

"Why is-" James looked away from Mary, "Why are they-"

"They should have decomposed further by now." Grandfather said, flicking his wand to break off parts of the branches near by and float them on top of Riddle's body to make it easier to burn, "I assume Voldemort knew of some of the rituals that would need flesh and preserved them. Clearly he did not put too much stock in this idea as they've begun to deteriorate anyway. He likely found a ritual that he will be using and no longer needs their flesh."

"But there's still spells on the bodies." Regulus pointed out. "The earth was easy to outline, meaning he's preserving the bones specifically."

"Understandable. The most favourable ritual would be-" Grandfather began.

"Blood of the enemy, flesh of the servant, bone of the father." Sirius said, looking down at Riddle's remains as he finished. "Regeneration potion, certainly the easiest. Especially as if he becomes a wraith-like figure, he could potentially possess someone and then use the potion to restore himself to rights again."

James looked queasy, "Flesh of the servant, that won't be hard to come by. Nor is blood of the enemy, technically, anyone that opposes Voldemort would be considered his enemy. He could kidnap a random blood traitor or muggleborn and be done in minutes."

Remus nodded wearily. "We need to get rid of these bodies. Bones don't burn up easily."

"Set them on fire and I'll have the elves take what's left and dispose of it properly later. The furnace at Black Manor will be more than suitable." Grandfather said as he set Thomas Riddle's remains alight. Sirius immediately cast a bubblehead charm on himself to mask the smell of burning flesh and was pleased that the others had all quickly done the same. He sent a spell at Tom Riddle's body, sending a silent apology to the man.

The body was engulfed in flames and Sirius stood back as James cast a spell at Mary's body. The three corpses were all alight and though Sirius had initially wondered why Regulus hadn't cast for James, he noticed his little brother rapidly drawing symbols in the air. Ah, Runes. 

"Good thinking, Regulus." Grandfather commended. "The notice-me-nots may not extend to the fire and smoke."

"I had thought the same." Regulus murmured, still firing off spells with his wand and a pearly white dome was forming around them. "Just a temporary ward - it'll hide us from muggles and any wizards. I just really hope Voldemort doesn't have some kind of monitor on these graves."

"He does not. I checked." Grandfather said, "Though, we can not be too careful. We will need to be extra vigilant once we reach the shack." 

The flames began to die down and Grandfather called for a couple house-elves, Kreacher went straight over to help Regulus and Sirius noticed Hoppy was on his way to him. He smiled down at the elf who looked at him scrutinising, checking for injuries. The elf tutted and turned away, disappearing with the remains from inside the coffins.

"Now. This is the tricky part." Grandfather mused, looking around curiously.

"Trickier than that?" James said as he stared down at the empty coffin.

Remus swallowed, "We need to replace the bodies." He said, looking reluctant but smart enough to know it was the only option.

Sirius closed his eyes. Disturbing these graves was one thing but to have to disturb three innocent people's graves made him slightly sick. He knew it was for a good purpose and there was every chance the three they would pick would have been awful people, but it still unnerved him. Muggles were tricky for Sirius. He'd been raised to think them as lesser than himself, but he'd always sort of pitied them in a way.

It was probably wrong, but he just couldn't imagine not having magic and being so unaware of this whole other world. Not having magic must be so boring. He'd always been certain Mother was lying - if muggles could steal magic to make muggleborns, then why wouldn't they all do it? Sirius certainly would.

A part of him had always truly pitied them for this. Unfortunately, this meant they were prime targets for Dark Lords trying to make a statement. Muggles couldn't protect themselves from wizards so killing them was quick and easy.

"Search for someone close in age to the Riddles. Preferably someone who died around the same time." Sirius said, already beginning to look for a young male that died around the 1940's. He needed someone young, but not too young. The Riddle parents had been in their early sixties at the time of their deaths and Tom Riddle had been in his late thirties. 

Regulus made a sound and James scurried over to him before reading off the gravestone Regulus was pointing at, "Elizabeth Griffiths. Born 1884 and died 1941. It's a couple years off, but close enough." James nodded at Regulus and the two began to quickly exhume the body.

"Sirius." Remus called softly and Sirius hurried to stand next to him, "Ernest Morgan, died four years after the Riddles and born the same as Tom Senior." Sirius nodded in agreeance and heard Grandfather making his own mark on a gravesite close to theirs.

"Walter Bennett. Born the year after Thomas Riddle and died three years after. From what I can gather from the carvings on his gravestone, he was not a very popular man." Grandfather curled his lip, "The Bennetts were another affluent family in the area and I remember reading that this man in particular felt the need to abuse his family. As well as his female staff members." He said pointedly.

Sirius glared down at the corpse at Grandfather's feet and suddenly felt a lot better about tearing up these peoples graves. It was very likely that both of the men were bad people as they'd both died after the Riddles, meaning the Horcrux could have affected them. However, there was also a chance he was desecrating a nice, hard-working mans grave that had been driven into insanity.

Either way, Sirius refused to think on it and carefully floated the body into the casket. James and Regulus had already finished and were quickly setting the graves back to rights. The real gravesite for Elizabeth Griffiths was being quickly covered by James while Regulus made sure that Mary Riddle's grave looked undisturbed.

"If he comes back to check on them, unless he does a heritage potion using the bones, he'll think it's them. Hopefully." Sirius murmured as he transfigured Ernest Morgan's remaining clothes to look like the fancy suit Tom Riddle wore in his coffin.

He pointedly ignored the sad, tattered rags that clearly hadn't been that much better before they'd begun to deteriorate. It was much better for his mental stability if he pretended Ernest Morgan was a nasty old bigot that spat on the lower class and caned his servants.

"Done?" Regulus asked, nose pink and cheeks flushed from exertion as his breath caused a cloud in front of his face. The air was bitterly cold and Sirius realised just how dark it had become while they were working. He was also much sweatier than he had expected and he grimaced at the face that he was already feeling exhausted.

"Yeah." Sirius breathed, rubbing his hands together. "You alright, puppy?" He asked quietly as James helped Remus finish correcting the earth around Tom Riddle's grave.

Regulus nodded, squeezing Sirius' arm reassuringly. "Sure. Are you?"

"Of course." Sirius murmured, cheeks stinging from the cold. Regulus narrowed his eyes and passed a small vial to him, he frowned down at it but swallowed the contents when Regulus continued to stare at him. A rush went through his veins, body pulsing with energy and the earlier exhaustion he had felt creeping in disappeared. "Oh."

"Invigoration draught." Regulus supplied unnecessarily. "Kreacher brought them." 

James and Remus took a vial each and Sirius could tell Grandfather had already taken one, he looked much more spry than he had seen him in a while. 

"Good thinking." Sirius muttered.

Regulus nodded, "I thought we would be needing them. Especially since the hardest part is yet to come." He said, glancing in the direction of the Riddle House.

Grimacing, James ran a hand through his head. "We should just go - get it over with."

Grandfather hummed in agreeance, "We are done here anyhow. The graves look undisturbed and that fool of a Dark Lord will not bother to check them. He is too arrogant."

"You'd think he would. Considering everyone knows his surname now, it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to link the Riddles to Voldemort. I know muggle surnames are repetitive, but the wizards died in an obviously magical way." Remus pointed out.

Snorting, Sirius jerked his head in the direction of the graves. "Well he's an arrogant sod, isn't he? If he hadn't been so arrogant we wouldn't be stood here today. Most of the stuff Regulus found out was because the Dark Wanker can't resist boasting."

Regulus exhaled harshly, scrubbing a hand into his forehead, he turned to Grandfather, "Will you be leading?" 

Grandfather frowned minutely, "Of course."

Biting his lip, Regulus looked terribly uncertain. "See, I don't think you should." He said quietly.

Sirius stared at Regulus and was aware that everyone else was doing the same. Grandfather especially was giving Regulus a very firm look. "How so?"

"If we are correct," Regulus began slowly, "Then the Horcrux is also housing the Resurrection Stone. As in, a method of communing with the dead." He said pointedly.

"Yes." Grandfather agreed. It was clear that he knew what Regulus was getting at but refused to back down. He wanted to lead the charge for a reason and as comprehension dawned on Sirius, he felt grief hit him.

Swallowing, Sirius realised where Regulus was going with this. It was clear that he didn't want to actually say it judging by the constrained look on his face. "None of us have ever had anyone die." Sirius said carefully, "At least, nobody especially close to us."

"I think other than maybe a cousin or grandparent, yeah." James nodded thoughtfully.

"Same. Didn't really make many connections when I was younger due to my condition. Plus, my family is really small." Remus shrugged.

Sirius hummed, fixing Grandfather with a gentle look. "You, out of all of us, would be most tempted by the ring."

"She wouldn't be herself." Regulus insisted softly as Grandfather began to look slightly upset. "She wouldn't be her. You know the story, she would be a weak facsimile of her true self."

Grandfather looked contrite, "She- I could-"

"Grandfather." Sirius said, "Grandmother wouldn't want that. She's at peace. The Stone merely brings an imitation of the person forward, she wouldn't be happy."

Scowling down at the ground for a moment, Grandfather nodded reluctantly. He raised his head and met Sirius' eye, "She does not deserve to become an inferior duplicate. She is a queen." He said firmly, "She is at peace, you are correct. Thank you, Regulus. I admit the thought of the Stone and it's abilities had called to me." He admitted.

Regulus' expression smoothed out and he smiled slightly, "Shall we go?" None of them wanted to linger on Grandfather' potent grief. It was completely understandable. He loved and adored Melania with his entire being. Sirius himself knew if he ever lost one of his pack he'd be the first to try and take the Stone just for a final glimpse of them.

They all exhaled wearily and turned in place. Split pavement, cracked roads and dilapidated houses lined their way and they continued through the darkened streets. Some houses were unkempt in a way that looked more normal but most were almost as tattered as he assumed the Gaunt shack would be. The windows were cracked or completely smashed, the frames of the doors were battered and the bricks themselves were crumbling. 

One of the little buildings that looked like a shop was almost completely in ruins. The roof was caved in and the items in the shop looked like they were being restocked just to be stolen again. The door was completely missing and the hinges were gone which made Sirius wonder if someone truly had stolen the whole door. The large glass panes that gave an open view of the shop had been broken in already, the odd sharp chunk of glass stained with blood jutted out from the frame in different places.

The previously white flooring was completely cracked and caked in a layer of dirt and grime so thick that he doubted it had been cleaned in at least a decade. There was a man standing at the little counter, staring off into the abyss as he swayed slightly on his feet. Sirius could tell he was an employee - likely the only one - but he didn't understand why he was even bothering to work.

Sirius could only just see him through the dim orange glow of a lamp that was beside him, the way he tilted from side to side made him look either deranged or possessed. Honestly, Sirius wasn't sure which one he preferred. As they walked past, the man jerked his eyes up and seemed to blink, startled, at the chunk of wood that James had accidentally kicked.

"Going." The man croaked. "Going, going, going." He whispered to himself, a hand coming up to pull roughly at his own scalp. The man gritted his teeth, glaring at the wood on the path, "Mad, mad, mad! Going, going, _gone_ mad!" He dug his fingernails into his face and pulled them down, leaving large red lines in their wake.

Remus waved his wand, sending a spell at the man. He blinked several times, letting go of his own face and returning to staring at the wall blankly. Remus shook his head sadly, tugging him along with Regulus who kept biting his lip. James had tears in his eyes and was rhythmically clenching his jaw as they continued down the street. 

"The townspeople are suffering." James hissed, "If I didn't hate Voldemort before- _fuck!_ This is- look at them!" He seethed, pointing to what was probably the only working streetlight. Two young women were stood, smoking robotically as they talked. The two looked completely worn, down-trodden and depressed in a way that Sirius had only seen on the elderly or war torn.

"They are barely coherent anymore." Grandfather murmured, "There is a town legend I overheard while browsing the area the other month. Due to the crime rate increasing around the time of the Riddle murder, the villagers are convinced that they have been cursed by the Riddles."

"Makes sense." Remus muttered, "If the dates line up the way we think they do, they probably think they're being haunted or something. Probably doesn't help that they all made it clear that they hated the Riddles when they died."

Sirius spat on the ground, "It's fucking foul. This is-" He shook his head angrily, "Generations of innocent muggles are dying here just because that twat thinks it's poetic to leave his precious soul piece in his family's old shack. As if he'd even want to live there anyway."

They rounded the corner, the street seemed to melt away as they came closer to the Riddle House. Slabs became fewer and further between, odd chunks of gravel littered what was left of the road until the pavement stopped altogether.

"Didn't want common folk coming near their home." James snorted derisively, "Arseholes. Hard to feel sorry for them." Sirius was inclined to agree, the menacing, wrought iron gates that were steadily becoming more visible made him curl his lip in disgust.

"Look at this." He scoffed, pointing at the tips of the gates. They were sharp though clearly beaten down by weather and lack of upkeep. The gates themselves were thick, iron bars that looked much more at home in a prison somewhere. As for a lock, the thick iron square was clearly too rusted to work properly, only two thin cords keeping the gates together.

"Must be the caretaker." Regulus murmured as he used his wand to prod at the rope, "There's no magic over here."

Grandfather hummed quietly, "The shack is this way." He said, gesturing down the length of the gates to the right. They all shared looks, sparing a last glance at the run down old manor home before continuing on to follow Grandfather's direction.

The earth had already steadily begun to decay. Sirius had noticed it the moment they arrived in the cemetery, but as they approached the Riddle House, it had become more noticeable. Any signs of life in the ground had slowly begun to disappear and from where he stood outside the gates to the Riddle's estate, he could barely feel anything.

The very ground he stood on was cracked and dead. There was no other way to put it. The ground had dried up and although the grass was still there, it was patchy and dried out. As they came closer to the Gaunt shack, the earth began to turn. Instead of being brittle and dying, the grass was thick and overgrowing, tangling together like a forest made of snakes.

Suddenly, he felt a pulse and his spine straightened; the magic here was dark, thick and heady as they came closer to the shack. Oily and cloying, sticking to his skin in a most foul manner. The magic crooned, calling out to him to enter and try his luck - daring him to play roulette with his life by walking any closer.

James and Remus had frozen in horror, staring at he and Regulus. His brother was looking increasingly pale, "It's just like the cave." He whispered. Looking around fearfully as if waiting for a horde of Inferi to leap out at him. He refrained the urge to wrap his brother in his arms. Regulus was strong, he could do this, he knew that.

"We're right here, little star." Sirius whispered, staring at the decaying wood of a nearby tree. "You aren't alone this time."

"Definitely not." James added.

"We'd never let you do this alone." Remus laid his hand on the small of Regulus' back soothingly and began scenting the air. "It smells of rot."

Grandfather nodded, giving Regulus a final look before turning in the direction of the shack. "The shack is likely over here somewhere. It has been cloaked, but I am sure you can all sense it."

Sirius nodded in agreeance. "Stay here, don't move any closer until I come back." He said as a thought hit him. The three members of his pack turned to him, alarmed but Sirius quickly transformed. He heard Regulus trying to catch him and James cursed quietly under his breath, but Grandfather held them back. 

Carefully, Sirius continued forward out of the bush he'd slipped under to hide from his pack. They weren't going to be happy when he returned, but he had made a promise to himself to never risk any of them. He loved them all too much. 

Padfoot was able to sense out the smell of rot much easier than he could as Sirius. It was thinking of Regulus and his reaction to the magic that prompted him to remember his Animagus form; Regulus had said that the magic of the Horcrux was easier to tackle when he was a fox as his brain as an animal was simpler. He wasn't stupid enough to try and go after the Horcrux himself, but if he could scent out the place without the need of intrusive magic that could activate some kind of defence - well, why not try it?

Of course, he ran the risk of running into the other possible defences and didn't even have the safety of a wand in his hand to protect him. But he knew Voldemort and his special brand of arrogance. Voldemort never thought to account for house-elves, who's to say he wouldn't then ignore the possibility of animagi? He wondered, briefly, if Voldemort were an Animagus. He hoped not, the bastard didn't need any more tricks up his sleeve.

Sirius scented out the area. Remus could probably have found the place by himself, but Regulus wouldn't allow his mate to go alone and Sirius would never allow Regulus to go off anywhere near a Horcrux on his own. Not this place. At least in the Room they were fairly close to each other, but who knew exactly where the shack was?

If Sirius had wanted to go with him, James would have wanted to come as well and then Grandfather would have joined to make sure all of the boys were safe. But as a group of five, they were much more likely to trigger the enchantments. As only a dog, Sirius was much better equipped to deal with this. Regulus' fox form would certainly be helpful too, but Remus wouldn't allow him to go alone. For James, well, Prongs was a handsome bastard but a bit too big for such a mission.

Padfoot wasn't much better. He'd been likened to a bear on many occasions and he preened anytime he heard such a thing. He was a ferocious beast, but a _gorgeous_ one.

The scent of death - for there was no other way to describe it, thick, putrid and foul, it could only be likened to a rotting corpse - hung heavily in the air. It made his head hurt and his eyes burn slightly. However, Padfoot's sensitive nose could already tell where the scent was heaviest. The potency of the smell was thicker in one specific direction. As he took a few steps closer, the stench increased and he refrained from whining pitifully.

Turning back was not an option. He kept walking, carefully pawing his way to where he knew the shack was and as he crossed a small boundary that he felt but could not see, the air around him shifted. It seemed he'd walked through a ward of some sort. He paused as the magic seemed to assess him before ignoring him altogether.

So he had been correct, Voldemort hadn't accounted for an Animagus.

Understandable in a way. Becoming an Animagus was a long and arduous process. Most wizards never bothered. Even if they tried, there was always the chance they would have messed up somewhere and risk becoming a mutant for life. So many never thought it prudent to even try.

Sirius crept closer and as he did so, the shack seemed to emerge out of the ground before him. 

Derelict and decaying, the wood of the shack cut through the earth to stand weakly in place. The shack itself was roughly the size of the Potter's summer home in their garden, perhaps smaller. Largely made of wood and nails, it looked far too muggle for purebloods like the Gaunts to reside in. Sirius could see some remnants of stone walls that had clearly crumbled many years before Voldemort was likely even born.

Odd sections of the walls were made of large stone pieces, particularly around the base and he assumed the original shack had been completely made of stone and only the foundations remained. The rest was comprised of wood - some of which was clearly scavenged and hastily put together to make a single mismatched patch of wall.

There were no panes, but the frames of the windows remained. The roof was almost completely missing, a thick patch of leaves and branches had extended over from a tree nearby to cover the little house instead. Sirius snorted slightly, if the Gaunts could see this place, they'd have a heart attack.

Ignoring the shack for the moment, Sirius turned to see the state of the grounds. It was odd, although the wood was clearly rotting, the patches of grass and bushes nearby were flourishing. Fungi and moss littered the ground in spades, sprawling up the trees and around the wood of the shack. The moss was especially thick, blanketing the earth and his paws were damp from traipsing through it all.

An array of animals, either skeletal, decaying or mostly in tact were spread across the ground and he shivered. Birds, rodents and an abundance of insects were all dead and he could see the skeleton of a cat and what appeared to be a rabbit. A dead, fluffy animal near his tail made him curl away, fighting the urge to vomit at the sight of the dead fox that was much more recent than most of the other animals.

Luckily, he couldn't see a dog or a human and certainly no deer so he felt safe enough to carefully back away. Hurrying through the grounds, he bounded towards where he could smell Regulus and the others.

Emerging from the bush he had hidden in, Regulus snapped his head and stormed over to him. "Idiot! Y-You- How _dare_ you-"

Sirius wrapped his arms around Regulus tightly. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to rid himself of the nausea that had risen upon seeing the dead fox. It was red in colour, so certainly not his brother, but the legs and tail had been largely black and for just a _second_ he had thought that perhaps Regulus had followed him and perished.

Exhaling, he tightened his arms. "Sorry, puppy." He breathed.

Regulus held him closely, seeming to realise that something had spooked him. "Don't you ever do something so reckless again."

James yanked them both into a hug, Remus quickly joining. "You-" James began, pulling back to smack Sirius' head. "-are without a doubt, the most _idiotic-"_

"While I agree," Grandfather began, "We must make haste. Sirius, what have you found?"

"Bunch of dead animals," He started, casting a quick glance at Regulus, "Couldn't see the shack at first but then I crossed some kind of boundary and it appeared. I think it was a modified notice-me-not. I'm not certain. I don't know if it was only because I seemed to be a random animal-"

"Then shouldn't you be dead?" Remus asked, "If there's a load of dead animals, then-"

"Some of them looked like they'd been feasted on by _other_ animals. Bigger animals. I think some of them got too close to the house or maybe they'd tried to eat the flora or, who knows, maybe the door knocker randomly fires off the killing curse. I have no idea. But I don't think the fact they're animals is why they're dead."

Regulus nodded slowly, "But you think the reason you passed through unharmed is because of your Animagus status?"

"Makes sense, he doesn't pay attention to house-elves. If it doesn't directly affect him, I doubt he thought of it." James shrugged, "Can't imagine he spent the time to become an Animagus when he was lobbying the pureblood bigots."

Sirius snorted, "Exactly." Nor did he think Voldemort really had the patience, much too trigger happy for such a tedious process. "I can't tell if they were wards or not - and if they were, I don't know if they were harmful."

"Did it feel malicious?" Regulus asked.

Sirius bit his lip. "No..." He surmised, "At least not fully. It was more.. wondering. Curious. Checking me, perhaps?"

"It may have been." Regulus agreed, "Only one way to find out."

Remus grimaced and turned to Sirius who nodded. Grandfather cleared his throat, "I shall guard your backs. It is probably best I keep my distance from the-" He swallowed, "The Stone."

With a mournful glance at their Grandfather, Regulus began to carefully move in the direction Sirius had come from. Again, it took everything in Sirius not to tackle Regulus to the floor and go first. He knew, logically, that Regulus was the best person to see if the wards would hurt them, but he didn't want to risk it.

As they neared the area, Sirius laid a hand out in front of him. "It's here. Somewhere. I definitely felt it somewhere there." He said, motioning towards a small cluster of rocks.

Tilting his head, Regulus crouched and shifted. Nosing forward, he snuffled around the ground and whined when he hit a certain spot. His tail puffed up slightly and he hastily backed away.

"It's got some malicious intent. I think it's got some sort of weakening effect." Regulus' eyes glinted, "Fascinating. That's probably why the animals have been feasted on and- _Moony!_ I'm _fine."_ Regulus hissed, batting a fretting Remus away from him. 

Remus shook his head, "You smell of death it- I-" His lip curled in a snarl.

"I'm fine." Regulus insisted, "Truly. Although these wards are fascinating." He mumbled, looking around with wide eyes. "They weaken the victim - that's why the birds and rodents and such died. I'm assuming the cat and the- uh," He cast a cautious look at Remus and Sirius.

"The fox, yes, I saw it." Sirius said with a clenched jaw. Remus and James flinched and turned back to Regulus who looked grim.

"Yes, well. My point was that the larger animals must have been feeding off of the smaller ones and stayed too long. Perhaps there's some kind of delayed reaction and some others managed to escape. There's larger prints going sideways that I doubt were yours Sirius." He said, gesturing horizontally and Sirius shook his head. 

"Sirius, do you feel any strain?" Grandfather asked.

Sirius frowned as he tried to feel his own body. The energising potion he had ingested had made him feel better and he could still feel it thrumming through his veins. If he had been hit with any kind of weakening spell or ward, he wouldn't be able to feel it as strongly as he could.

"No." Sirius shook his head, "I feel fine. Do you, Reggie?"

"I'm all good but I didn't stay very long. There's a chance it didn't work properly because you're an Animagus and therefore not considered an animal or a human."

"Would it work on werewolves?" Remus asked, glaring at the boundary line that James had cleverly marked off when Regulus passed it.

Regulus whirled around, "Don't even think about it!"

Grandfather looked uncomfortable, "Technically, werewolves are not considered truly human."

"I know." Remus agreed, "I'm not completely beast either."

"You're _part_ creature." James insisted, ignoring Regulus who looked ready to throttle Grandfather. "But that doesn't mean-"

"No, I know." Remus rolled his eyes, "I'm just suggesting that perhaps I should go first?"

Sirius bit his lip. He didn't want any of them risking themselves needlessly. But... Remus had a good point. If the ward worked the way Regulus said it did, then it would weaken them all slowly until they died.

"I- I can remove the ward!" Regulus hissed, "It'll take time but-"

"You need to be at the place the ward was set. It's clearly an area around the shack." Remus pointed out, "I take Runes too love, you and I both know that the ward stone will be right in the centre of the boundary. You would have to be human to dismantle the wards."

Sirius sighed, "And if Regulus were to turn human, the spell would take effect."

Regulus was furiously shaking his head, "No- _No,_ don't you dare, Remus John Lupin. You are not-" He swallowed, "You are not going anywhere near that place alone!"

"Sirius did." Remus said, "Granted he didn't stay very long-"

"I barely went past the boundary line, actually." He grimaced, "I could feel the magic of the Horcrux as soon as I moved forward a couple steps."

James pressed his lips together, "Do it, Moony."

Regulus whirled to face him, "You-"

"It is the only way." Grandfather said softly, placatingly raising a hand when Regulus turned his ire on him. "You are talented, Regulus, but you would be risking your life if you were to try."

"So would Remus!"

Sirius wrapped his arm around Regulus who was trembling, "Reg, as much as we love Moony, he's not technically human in the way we are." He said, casting an apologetic look at Remus who shrugged.

"I'm a Dark creature, I know that. You lot made me see that I'm _more_ than that, however. But in this instance, I'm glad." The boy replied with an easy smile on his face, "Besides, apart from Regulus, I'm the only one who knows how to work Runes." He said with a mischievous glance at James and Sirius who huffed.

"Ancient Runes was always such a difficult subject." Grandfather mused, "If you did not have the natural knack for it, chances were you would fail."

"You can say that again." James grumbled, "Hardest bloody NEWT I did. Though Potions wasn't far off."

Sirius was inclined to agree. The Ancient Runes NEWT had been exceptionally hard and they'd mentioned some of the questions to Regulus whose eyes had lit up with glee - demanding they write down the Runes that had been shown. Remus had seemed to breeze through the exam, citing Regulus' help and his own aptitude for the subject when James complained at him.

"You- You-" Regulus' jaw quivered, "If you start to feel _anything-_ anything at all Remus-"

"I'll come straight back. I swear it." Remus promised, soothingly rubbing a hand down Regulus' back. "I may need your help anyway. I'm good, but Runes are tricky and there's a chance he has modified them."

"Or put traps on them!" Regulus insisted, "Be vigilant, please. You can't ever be too careful. Not when it comes to this- this _monster_ and his special brand of insanity."

Remus gave Regulus a soft smile, nodding once at all of the others and meeting Grandfather's appraising eye. Regulus was trying to cling onto Remus and Sirius pulled Regulus away from him, crowding him into his side and James quickly took the spot closest to the ward boundary. Nudging him, Regulus whispered a small thank you to Sirius who smiled and kissed his cheek as Remus turned.

The werewolf took a breath and the four of them raised their wands in case spells began to fly. Regulus had a shield already looping around them all but they couldn't risk placing a shield around Remus. He exhaled a last breath, something that filled Sirius with pride when he noted how calm Remus appeared.

Remus took a smooth step beyond the boundary which flared imperceptibly, the tiniest shift in the air prickled at his scalp and Remus held firm. The boy continued on; quick, easy strides as he held a hand out to try and sense where the ward stone was located.

"Why does he need to find a ward stone anyway?" James grumbled, shifting impatiently as they watched Remus move around the almost swamp like earth.

Regulus' jaw was tensed. "It's a boundary ward. Meaning, the whole area is covered. It's like a dome over the hut and the ward stone is likely in the centre. There's a chance it's even inside of the shack for extra security. I- I don't really understand the use of this structure, however."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Well, a dome isn't very structurally secure. Not for protection anyway. You're much better off having four or more focal points with straight boundary lines. This is a dome, meaning it's curved. In muggle terms, it's like comparing a home made of sticks to a home made of brick."

Sirius frowned, "I suppose it's because it's not too important. He wants to weaken whoever comes across the area."

"He likely did not anticipate anybody actively trying to take him down." Grandfather mused, "He has put these protections in place but he likely does not see them as anything more than a mere formality."

James snorted, "Again, arrogant."

Remus continued to move around, using his werewolf senses to try and feel where the magic was thicker. Sirius could see him shaking his head in various directions before he seemed to lock in place. His whole body seized up and Sirius had to physically restrain Regulus from running forward to help him.

"Do not come any closer." Remus' voice was barely audible, "It's here." He murmured even quieter and Sirius watched as he carefully approached a small patch of moss right near the little steps that lead to the hut. Remus crouched, gliding his hand over the earth and pausing in place. "Found it."

Regulus was shaking in his arms, "Moony, love, please be careful."

Remus' body tensed at Regulus' plea, he gave a short nod before extracting his wand from his pocket. The boy made quick work of removing the vegetation and Sirius could see a small, smooth plate of rock. Regulus tensed when Remus hissed. "Bastard." He cursed.

"What is it, Moons?" James called, glancing around cautiously as if Voldemort would descend from a tree with his wand at the ready.

"Nothing." He called back. Regulus' eyes narrowed and Sirius scowled, _liar._

James huffed and rolled his eyes. "We're beating you up when you get back."

"Thanks my dear." Remus called.

James grinned, "Was that a stag pun?"

"I truly do not understand how none of you have been sentenced to Azkaban yet." Grandfather bemoaned, "No sense of subtlety."

"Agreed." Regulus rubbed his nose slightly, sniffling as he watched Remus. "Darling, how is it going?"

Remus tilted his head as he surveyed the Runes, "It's all quite-" He paused and Sirius felt a pulse on the warding before them. James squeaked and stepped back as the dome became visible. Inky black lines much like a spiderweb, were interlinked, weaving together in a semicircle over the hut, creating a boundary line around the area. "-simple really." He finished.

Regulus hummed, eyes alight. "That was rather quick." His voice held a note of awe and intrigue that made Sirius want to curl up and die. "Very well done, Remus." Oh Merlin, someone kill him.

Remus turned and gave a slight quirk of his lips before continuing. For a few minutes, that went by agonisingly slow for Sirius, he just hummed every so often as his wand moved in the air. Regulus was narrating what he thought Remus was doing, but Sirius could literally feel the words flying over his head and judging by the baffled emptiness on James' face, he felt the same.

Every so often, Remus would hiss and an odd pulse would ripple towards the boundary. Regulus had explained this was some kind of inner defence mechanism on the ward stone that Remus was carefully dismantling. Remus had already jerked, calling back that it was _only a mild skin shredder that he had thankfully avoided_. Sirius wanted to interrupt that _didn't seem very mild_ from the way Remus had thrown himself backwards. But he didn't want to distract him. Regulus continued to narrate while Sirius just blinked as he avidly waved his hands.

Grandfather was nodding however, following Regulus' words in time with Remus' movements. 

"Problem." Remus called as he cocked his head, "I can't remove them completely."

Regulus hissed, "Why not?"

"They're tied to his blood." Remus sighed, "Even if we _hadn't_ burned the Riddles, it wouldn't work." He said as he saw James' expression.

"Why?" James asked petulantly as if he had a time turner on hand, ready to go back and save the Riddles.

"Because if they're tied to blood through magical means, they need a magical signature to activate." Regulus sighed. Remus nodded and Regulus continued, "Can you weaken them?"

"Yes. Of course. But they'll slowly drain us of our consciousness and then I believe once we pass out, another ward activates to kill you." Remus grimaced. 

"Is it a potion? Some kind of aerosol?" Regulus asked curiously.

"I think it's the earth..." Remus tilted his head, "The earth itself is poisonous. There's some kind of.. Transfiguration.. I'm not sure. I think.. I think the earth will literally come alive and either smother you or strangle you."

"Lovely." James rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Is there anything we can do?"

"If Remus can weaken them enough then we can still go in and get the Horcrux." Grandfather began, "However, we would not want to risk all of us at once. At least some would have to stay behind the boundary line and if all goes wrong..."

Sirius swallowed. "Right. Fuck. Okay. We'd need to be quick though - very quick."

Grimacing, James shook his head. "I am not staying back here." He insisted.

"Well I'm certainly not!" Regulus hissed.

Sirius' hands were shaking, "Grandfather, I assume-"

"I shall be staying, certainly." He hummed in agreeance, "My dearest Melania... the temptation would be too much I am afraid." He whispered. Sirius watched the grief in his eyes as he lingered on where the shack laid.

"There's some kind of foul curse protecting the ring, that's got to be what's poisoning the village." Regulus said, "We need to think tactically. James, you're new to the Dark Arts so perhaps-"

"I am _not_ staying here." James set his jaw stubbornly. "I understand where you're coming from, Reg. But seriously, I am not staying behind while my three best friends throw themselves into-"

"Why doesn't Moony stay?" Sirius asked.

"Can't." Remus called from where he was still staring down at the Runes, "I'm the only one of us that _isn't_ affected by the wards. Doesn't make sense to send me back."

"Reggie-" Sirius began, "Maybe we should all go. All four of us."

Regulus bit his lip, "Grandfather said-"

"I believe you will be alright." Grandfather said gently, "You four are much stronger together than you are apart." His eyes were fond and slightly approving, filling Sirius with warmth. "Besides, none of you have ever lost a close loved one. You are unlikely to be tempted by the ring."

Nodding, Regulus acquiesced. "Moony, darling, should we turn into our Animagus forms?"

"Yes. The curse won't hit you until you transform back, I believe." Remus hummed, "Only works on humans or animals - an Animagus is neither."

"Are there wards out there specifically for animagi?" James asked curiously. When Regulus nodded quickly, James snorted, "So old Voldie really is just an arrogant prat then. Blimey, and Lils thought I was bad."

"I think - compared to a Dark Lord - most people look quite good in retrospect." Sirius mused. James snickered and Sirius rolled his eyes. Regulus was glaring at them both and he sobered, "Sorry. Right, Grandfather - if it all goes to shit-"

"I'll have the elves bring the Horcruxes here and cast Fiendfyre." He murmured. "I'm sure at some point someone from Dumbledore's little army will fire off a good hex at the man."

Sirius blinked. "You said casting Fiendfyre would likely kill you." 

"If it all goes bad, that means all of you are dead. I do not have much else to live for." Grandfather surmised, "Though I do suppose that would mean the House would die out in the main line. Unless Orion decided to extract some of his seed and-"

"Right." Sirius cheered, "Let's get moving. Moony, you sure this won't kill us on impact?"

"As sure as I can be. But Regulus should take a look at it when he gets here. Say what you want about the guy, but he's certainly good at Runes." Remus said, slightly admiringly.

Regulus breathed out, "Right. Good. Actually, I've been wanting a good challenge." 

James shook his head, "You two are bloody mental."

"Agreed." Sirius wrinkled his nose. He shifted into Padfoot after giving Grandfather one last smile. James and Regulus joined and the three of them stood there for a moment. Regulus wasted no time in scurrying forward, bounding over to his mate and licking his jaw.

Remus smiled down at Regulus, patting the little fox. "Hello, beautiful."

Sirius heard James snort as they stopped just a few feet from the two boffins. No point in he or James getting too close to the ward stone, they wouldn't understand it. Regulus chittered softly and Sirius dug his nails into the dirt, scraping the moss and vegetation as he nosed at the ground. It reeked of decay and pulsed with a malicious intent. He internally gagged and pulled his nose away, scenting into James' furry neck instead.

James made another snort and butted the length of his body into Sirius'.

"Do you think I should alter this or remove it altogether?" Regulus made a sharp yip and Remus blinked, "Alter?" Regulus made a nodding motion and Remus hummed as he did what he was told. Regulus nipped his fingers and sent him a glare, "What?"

The little fox continued to glower until Remus blinked, "Oh! Right, I'm sorry. Rookie mistake, that." He laughed nervously.

Sirius barked as if to ask, _what do you mean?_

Remus turned to him with a little wince as Regulus bit at his wrist, "Uh- Well, if I'd have gone with the alteration that I had planned... let's say it wouldn't have been good. For any of us."

James dropped his head dramatically and made a sound like he was honking. Remus rolled his eyes and set to work, hurriedly carving into the little stone and Sirius felt the dome around them tremble and crack. Fissures began to appear in what he could see of the ward, chunks breaking off and fizzling out of existence.

"There. Turn b-" Before he could finish, Regulus threw himself at him.

"Fool! You should know better than to try and disable-" Regulus began hotly before Remus kissed him. Regulus pulled back with a glower, "I still hate you."

James shifted, "Guys? Hurry, please?"

Regulus startled and jumped to his feet. Sirius turned back and looked around, sending a glance at Grandfather who was gripping his wand tightly. 

"Let's get this over with. This is the last one and I'd rather Grandfather didn't have to light the place up." Sirius murmured.

The four paused as they realised to move further would mean entering the shack. There was a small set of stone steps with wood on top that lead to the doorway. On the door was a dead snake, pinned to the wood by a large nail through the centre of it's underbelly. Sirius grimaced.

"Wonder if that was Voldie or the Gaunts." James murmured.

"Probably the Gaunts." Regulus wrinkled his nose, "It's been here a while. I'm surprised it's still intact."

"Magic." Sirius muttered, "Probably why the shack hasn't been completely overrun by the flora."

"Must be some sort of preservation on the wood as well." James added, "It's been decades since the Gaunts died, with the weather and the stench of the curses here, it should have all crumbled into nothing by now."

Carefully, Regulus raised his wand but Sirius beat him to it. There were many wards or protective enchantments that would target the caster of any intrusive spells before going after everyone in the immediate vicinity. He wouldn't allow Regulus to risk himself if he could help it. As he cast, the snake on the door hissed, rattling in place and Sirius threw himself to the ground.

A bright yellow beam shot from the snake's eyes, narrowly missing James who jumped to the left to avoid it. Where it made contact with the wood suddenly bubbled as if acid had been dropped onto it. Sirius gaped at the fizzling wood for a moment before scurrying to the side. The snake continued to shudder before another sickly spell was flying towards Remus, eating into his robes and just missing his skin. Regulus shrieked angrily, sending a spell at the snake to cause it to explode.

"Overkill, puppy." Sirius mumbled. He stood, wiping his palms against his torso. "All good?" They all glared incredulously but nodded. "Just a locking charm on the door - nobody go in though." He said as the broken door swung open. 

James snickered but looked flushed from the spike in activity, "Mate, it's not like we were about to go charging in. We're not stupid." Sirius knew that, but he was a little tightly wound at the moment. All he could think about was that the next step they may take could taken them out. The vast amount of dead animals outside of the shack made him worry a little more than he had anticipated.

They carefully moved into the shack, Sirius leading, followed by Remus, Regulus and James in the back. As one, they moved through the tiny hallway and paused. There was a door that had broken down completely to show what was supposed to be a kitchen and another door that lead to a small bedroom of sorts. The largest room in the shack was the living area and he presume it was the most used as it was the least run down of all the rooms.

"This place is charming." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Right? I just want to curl up and read by the fire. Instils a sense of homeliness in me." James sighed wistfully.

Regulus rolled his eyes, "You two don't know how to take anything seriously."

"Better to make light of it than call it for what it is." James said and Regulus hummed in acknowledgement. "Which room?"

Sirius didn't think they should split up, he was just looking about the property when he realised that Remus was oddly quiet. Sirius turned to look at the werewolf and noticed that he was glaring ferociously at a spot in the wall and Sirius tried to follow his eyeline, "Uh, Moony? You okay?" As far as he could tell, he was staring at a crumbling old wall. But Remus' senses had always been stronger than his.

"It's there." 

They all froze. "What?" Regulus rasped, looking around wildly.

"I can smell it. There's-" His nose wrinkled, "Merlin, it's- when we walked in it just hit me. There must be some kind of containment on the shack I- can you lot really not smell it?"

Regulus stared at him anxiously, "Describe it." He ordered.

Sirius winced at the tone and James blinked, looking startled. It was rare for Regulus to get genuinely snippy with Remus, he was usually so soft with him - they took gooey to a whole new level - so it was surprising seeing Regulus so frazzled.

Blinking, Remus turned back to the group. "Uh, well, it's like the house or the outside. It stinks of rotting wood but there's meat or flesh added into the mix. It's utterly foul. Like a butchers shop that's been left for months so the meat has all spoiled. Maggots, flies... parasites feeding on what's left."

Sirius mentally ran through what it could possibly be. "There's-" He sighed, "There's so many possibilities. Does it make you want to do anything?"

"I- No?" Remus frowned, "I can feel something though. Pulling at me, maybe? But the- the _smell._ Merlin Sirius it's... I feel sick, honestly." His face was pale and he pulled Regulus closer to him. "Something's wrong."

"It's a Horcrux mate, of course it's wrong." James said anxiously.

Adamantly shaking his head, Remus tightened his grip on Regulus. "No it's.. the Horcrux is there, yes, but there's something else. The magic.. it's a curse or something. I can smell it. That is what's rotting the area around us. It's not the Horcrux, though maybe that's made it worse, but whatever curse he's placed is draining the life out of the whole village."

Sirius scrubbed a hand through his hair, tugging his roots painfully. "Fucking _fuck."_ He hissed, "The cunt couldn't just leave it at a bloody Horcrux he's put something extra Dark on it."

"We already knew that." James pointed out and - oh, to be so young and innocent, how quaint.

"Jamie, mate, there's dark and then there's Dark. Capital D." Sirius shook his head, "This is something only found in the darkest of Dark Arts books."

"How so?" James asked, biting his lip.

Regulus sighed, "If it's Dark enough to literally consume the life around it, then it's something especially powerful. Only the intended victim for the curse should be affected, not the whole town. This is _extra_ Dark, Jamie. Whatever it is, the curse is able to infect the whole village. The crime, the state of the town, the health of the animals and the people... it's because of whatever this curse is."

James swallowed, "Fuck. Okay, shit. What do we do?"

"Only way is forward, as they say." Sirius murmured reluctantly, gripping his wand. "We'll try and remove the curses but-"

"Will we even be able to?" Regulus breathed, "This is.. Abraxas Malfoy was one thing but this is a Dark Lord we're talking about. Even the ward outside - which was just a mere precaution - was excellent in it's formation."

"Do try not to salivate over the Dark Wanker for a _second,_ Regulus." Sirius hissed before blinking at the hurt look on his face. 

"Shit. It's the Horcrux. We need to hurry - if we stay any longer we risk being weakened completely and my chest already burns a bit." James urged, "Moony where is it?"

Without bothering to explain, he kicked open the door to the living room and strode into the centre. Luckily, he'd had the forethought to cast carefully - looking for any signs of spells. The fireplace roared to life, a jet of flame spiralling in the air towards James who conjured a slab of stone to absorb it, diving to the left near the armchair. "What the fuck!" He cried, "I-Is this Fiendfyre?" He called.

Sirius ducked behind a little table, "Shit- No. Close, but no. It's Diablo Flames. Someone needs to smother the source!"

"Well we can't bloody get to it!" Regulus called from where he and Remus were hiding behind the sofa. 

Remus carefully peeked over the sofa, "H-How is it even- shouldn't it be-"

"It's been carefully controlled! Diablo Flames are basically a step below Fiendfyre!" Regulus shrieked from where a tongue of flame had just licked at his wrist, "It's bad, but manageable! Siri is right - someone needs to smother the source! It's coming from the fireplace!"

James winced, "Shit. I'm the closest I-I'll-"

"No! James you're new." Sirius hissed worriedly, peeking over the upturned table as he saw James quickly dive behind the little armchair near the fireplace. "James!"

"Shut up! I'm doing this." He replied. James froze before shuddering violently, "Fucking Horcrux." He spat and Sirius winced, assuming the Horcrux was on that side of the room. Sirius anxiously watched as James transfigured the fire poker into a bird that soared upwards to the centre of the room, the Diablo Flames immediately wrapped around the animal, causing the bird to screech in pain before the sound abruptly cut off as the body was severed in half. The wound had been cauterised, leaving burned, cooked flesh through the centre of it's body. "Oh fuck." James whispered.

Regulus made a whimpering sound, "James. You need to be quick. You have to-" He threw himself backwards to avoid a jet of flames, "You need to cover the source!"

James' eyes hardened, "Got it." He murmured, creeping forward and transfiguring other assorted items into a vairty of animals. Rabbits ran through the room, mice scurried along the floor while other birds continued to fly anxiously in the air. There were even a few bats flapping their wings above Sirius head and he winced when one was decapitated by the flames.

James crept forward, wand still steadily transfiguring more animals to distract the flames. Anytime a jet came too close, an animal was suddenly there to absorb it. A hare leapt upwards to guard James' thigh while a plump crow dived down to take the whip of fire aimed at James' chest. Sirius coughed weakly at the scent of the flame. Luckily there was no smoke, but the constant heat was getting to him.

The wall of the fireplace was black and Sirius watched as James transfigured the tattered rug into a large, circular disk that he flicked towards the source of the flames. The disk rattled, shuddering as the Diablo Flames were aimed at it and James quickly continued to layer more items at the source. Now that the flames were mostly obscured, Sirius jumped up from behind the table to add his own, sending a thick blanket at the end which Remus secured with his own spells. 

Regulus let out a breath, climbing to his feet. "Well." He breathed.

James' hands were shaking, "That was fun."

Sirius grinned at him, "You were brilliant, mate."

"Seriously, Prongs." Remus shook his head in awe, "How are you not more tired. You transfigured like, at least thirty animals."

James shrugged, a shaky grin on his face. "All in a days work, boys."

Scoffing, Regulus turned to Sirius, before faltering and turning away, looking shaken. Sirius felt a pang of worry that he desperately pushed down. He would apologise later for what he had said earlier. They needed to focus for now. 

"Do we think there's any more?" Regulus asked warily.

Remus shook his head, "I didn't even detect the one at the fireplace."

"That was some nasty shit." James spat, "Strong, too."

Sirius hummed, "It was. But that was just to protect the Horcrux. He probably cast that and put most of his efforts into it. As well as whatever is on the actual ring."

"It's not that?" James asked disappointedly. "I thought we'd gotten it." He grumbled.

Shaking his head, Remus curled his lip. "I can still smell the rot. It's there, near where you were hiding, James."

Sirius turned to Regulus and gave him a tight smile. He had to focus. For a moment, he cast his mind back to some of his best memories. Regulus was a prominent feature in the earliest ones, then he melted away and he saw James and Remus smiling at him. James - provoking him into downing that sixth glass of Firewhiskey which had then made him sick and Remus, shaking his head exasperatedly and teasing him on his weak stomach and lack of stamina.

This was what he was fighting for. His precious baby brother and his wide silver eyes, his partner-in-crime and his messy hair and his best friend and his ugly jumpers. They were his family, his pack. He wouldn't allow this vile fucking thing to ruin his mind again. Sirius knew what the risks were. He had almost screwed up last time but on Godric's grave he was going to bloody stick this one through.

"Where's the Horcrux?" He asked Remus quietly. The werewolf stared disdainfully at the ground, pointing to a patch near the armchair. The wood looked oddly untouched by the rot and mould. The planks were still worn and dirty, but they were pristine compared to the rest of the floorboards.

Sirius nodded once and stepped forward, ignoring Regulus' shocked exclamations, Remus' worried grunt and Prongs' scraping hoof. Crouching, he examined the floor. The patch of boards near the armchair, diagonal to the little fireplace was thick with a layer of grime. Waving his wand, the floorboards glowed and he raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Wh-What is it?" James asked and Sirius barely held back the urge to whip his head around. He had to keep calm.

"James-" Remus began worriedly.

"I'm fine. I'm fucking fine." James insisted, "I was just overwhelmed. If I need to, I'll shift again. But bloody hell, Padfoot, what is it?" His tone was terse and tight in a way that was very rare to hear from the boy. For James was usually such a cheerful and cheeky lad, it was uncommon for him to sound so restrained and genuinely irritated. He usually played everything off as a joke or acted as if all was well.

"Just odd." Sirius murmured as he carefully used a sawing spell to cut away at the wood, "No protections on the boards themselves."

Remus blinked, "None?"

James seemed shocked out of his anger, "What? That makes no sense."

Gnawing his lip, Regulus shook his head. "There were no real protection spells on the cave either. Once you got across the lake, there was really nothing stopping you drinking the potion and running off with the Horcrux." He cleared his throat, "Besides the hoard of the murderous undead."

"And the side effects of the potion." Remus muttered sourly.

"There are no protections because he is confident that the curse will do the work for him." James breathed, hair tousled as he ran a hand through it. 

Remus shifted uneasily, "I don't know how well my Rune modifications worked. I- I don't feel any different but..." He trailed off.

Sirius ignored the fact that he was steadily growing more and more exhausted. He continued to carefully remove the wood in case he triggered the protections that were clearly underneath it. Although there was nothing stopping him from removing the wood, he felt unease coil in his gut at his pack's words.

If Voldemort was confident enough in the curses he'd placed, he worried about his ability to actually identify the curse, let alone dismantle it.

Because that was why he had lead the charge. Besides Grandfather, he knew about Dark Magic the best. Regulus knew a lot of the theory, certainly, but he wasn't interested in the Dark Arts for his own gain or use. Regulus liked reading about interesting magics and rituals, he didn't much care to use them unless he deemed them useful.

Sirius however, had always loved his Heir lessons where Grandfather would demonstrate curses and their effects. Many of the curses he was taught were only taught to the first male born from each generation of the main line, the Heir, in simple terms. Of these curses, a large majority were Black family specialties. Meaning that currently only Grandfather and Orion - other than Sirius himself - knew the spells and how to cast them.

But while Voldemort may not know these sorts of spells, the sort broiled in blood magic and Familial bonds, he would certainly know of an abundance of other Dark Arts curses that Sirius may not have paid much attention to. He had always been much more fascinated in the Black made curses. Especially ones that only the Heirs were taught - it had been a source of smugness when Bellatrix had openly seethed over dinner as Grandfather recounted how well he was doing in his lessons. He had only been six at the time and he had loved holding that over her head.

As the floorboards were removed, Sirius began to feel the pulse of Voldemort's magic. The Horcrux, now completely exposed, sent out a malicious wave with the intention of messing with their minds. Immediately, Sirius could feel an urge to wear the ring but he shook it off. What use did he have for some ugly old ring? No matter how tempting, the Stone would be useless to him. He loved Grandmother and he missed her, but his most precious ones were all in the same room and he knew he had to keep a clear head to ensure their safety.

"Grandmother." Regulus murmured, taking an uneasy step forward. "M-Maybe we should-" Remus startled as Regulus tried to take a few rapid steps forward and James quickly wrapped his arms tightly around his body. "No- No wait-"

"Puppy. Breathe." Sirius called, staring down at the little box. "You need to remember where you are. Moony, talk to him."

"Darling, it's the Horcrux. Don't focus on it. You said it yourself, she wouldn't be happy." Remus murmured hastily as James held onto Regulus from behind. Remus held Regulus' face in his hands, focusing his shining silver eyes on himself, "You're stronger than this, love."

Sirius spared a moment to be thankful for Remus' clear head. James was likely only staying true to himself out of sheer stubbornness and he wondered at how Remus had been so level-headed around the diadem too. Perhaps it was due to being used to having another voice constantly whispering in your ear. Huh, being a werewolf was beginning to look quite useful.

If you ignore the agonising monthly transformations and prejudice against them.

"I- I-" Regulus croaked, "Sweet Salazar."

"You good, Reggie?" James asked, holding Regulus tighter for a moment. "Don't want you running off." 

Regulus shook his head, "N-No, I'm fine. Godric, that was..."

James grimaced, "If I hadn't been so worried for you I'd probably have shoved the ring on my finger myself."

"That's... true." Regulus tilted his head before he gasped, "The ring! The curse is on the ring."

"Yes, we've gathered that." Remus frowned at his suddenly much more energetic boyfriend.

"No! I mean the curse only comes into effect when you wear the ring! I wanted to put it on and so did James- that means-"

Sirius gasped as he pulled back. The ring had begun to thrum with magic, incensed and wrathful, the soul piece was pulsing with the need for one of them to take it. As they were clearly not falling to the effects, it had began to increase it's efforts.

"The- The curse is on the ring!" Regulus doubled over, "Don't put it on! N-No matter what!" He cried, clutching to Remus before he transformed and curled into a ball, whining pitifully.

Remus was shaking and James had dropped to the floor. Sirius could hear the Horcrux, telling him he could bring Grandmother back, he could be strong enough to _protect them all, he could save the wizarding world... all he had to do was wear the ring._

Didn't seem too bad. He moved forward, reaching out to the little box and paused. No. Wait. He was doing something, wasn't he? Blinking, Sirius stared down at the box. _Place me on your finger, Heir Black, I shall give you power and glory beyond your wildest of dreams._

But, no. He didn't want that. Did he? Perhaps he did- No. He didn't. He wanted to save his loved ones. Power didn't matter, not really-

_Wear me, Heir Black. You are from a noble lineage. I know your true heart. Are you truly so arrogant that you believe you alone are able to destroy me? Your family will be spared, even your traitorous brother._

That.. sounded good. He wouldn't have to fight anymore. He could just give in... but- No. He didn't want that. Sirius was fighting for a reason. He wanted to fight.

You are a powerful wizard. But with my help, you would become unstoppable. Your werewolf friend is trying to come between you and your brother. Heir Potter does not agree with your use of Dark Magic. They are unworthy. 

No. No he loved Remus and James. 

They too can be spared. Place me on your finger and we shall rule the wizarding world.

No. He didn't want that. There was no bloody way he was falling for a Horcrux.

He turned, ignoring the incessant whispering. Remus was growling, clutching onto Regulus and holding Prongs back by his antlers. Sirius panicked, he needed to do something. 

Turning back to the ring, he rapidly fired off revealing charms. There had to be something he could do. Perhaps if he could identify the curse he could find a way to remove it and snatch the ring. As that was the problem, he couldn't even risk putting his hand anywhere near the ring or the box it was in. There may be a strong enough compulsion that if he got too close, he'd be unable to stop himself from putting it on.

"Padfoot." Remus choked out, "Hurry." He begged. Regulus was whining, making soft little crying noises that tore at his heart and James was huffing and scraping his antlers and hooves against the wood anxiously. It broke him to have to listen to his pack struggle and he was eternally grateful for Remus' level head.

Sirius nodded, humming as he cast as quickly as he could. The ring glowed a pure black and he stared at it for a moment before exhaling. Black, luckily not indicative of the Black family, but certainly Dark. The Black family curses always glowed a little silver or white around the edges, a nod to their penchant for celestial names and the family legend of the very first Black being borne of the stars.

Dark Magic was something he could work with. If it had been a Black curse - likelihood of death or not - he would have stormed Lestrange Manor and gutted Bellatrix and Voldemort. Bellatrix for daring to leak family secrets and Voldemort for daring to use a Black spell.

And the whole being really bad people thing.

Sirius grinned viciously as the spell indicated it was solely on the ring. As long as he could be rid of the curse, the box could easily be lifted. When he'd flicked it open, he had thought that perhaps it was too easy but now he knew why. The box, the floorboards even the whole shack were merely for show. The true killer was the ring itself.

Nails clicked against the wood and Sirius kept his gaze directed on the box he was aiming at, "I- I think-" Regulus began hoarsely, "I think it's a trap."

Sirius nodded, "We're too in tune, baby brother." Sirius hummed, "I was thinking the exact same thing."

"For who?" James rasped. He was still slumped on the ground from what he could depict from the corner of his eye and Sirius couldn't look at him. It would ruin his focus.

"Dumbledore." Regulus coughed into his fist, "The- I think the weakening spell is catching up on me. But- But I think it's for Dumbledore."

At Regulus' words, Sirius began to rapidly untangle the sickly black curse. Only the Dark Arts spells glowed like that and he couldn't waste any more time. He had to risk triggering any other protections. He coughed, heaving slightly as his body slowly broke down.

"Fuck." James choked, "Shit."

"James!" Remus cried, "Leave! Your coughing up blood!"

Sirius trembled. He couldn't turn away. He had to get rid of this fucking spell first. Casting as quickly as he could, he ignored the pain beginning to throb behind his eyes. His brow was furrowed and his forehead dripped with perspiration. The palms of his hands were sweaty and they were beginning to shake something awful. But he had to keep going.

"Withering Curse!" Sirius cried victoriously. He let out a breath, ecstatic with his progress. "Oh fuck that makes so much sense." He bemoaned, rubbing his forehead with his left hand as he continued to untangle the web of the Dark curse.

"Th-The what?" James croaked.

"Based off of the Bothrops viper, a venomous snake." Sirius rattled off, remembering the book from the Secrets of the Darkest Art and he found it interesting that Voldemort had clearly used the spell from the same book in which he learned of Horcruxes. "The curse replicates what the viper's venom does to the body. It causes your muscles, tissue, flesh, skin, all of it, to wither and rot. It spreads ridiculously quickly but it doesn't immediately kill you."

"It lingers." Regulus whispered, blood trailing from his left nostril in steady drips. Sirius continued to unravel the curse, swallowing as he heard the little drops of blood hitting the floor and James' wheezes. "Cause your body to slowly shut down. Agonising, apparently." He murmured. 

"In short, severe necrosis of the tissues in the body followed by a painful death." Sirius surmised. The ring began to pulse angrily as the spell weakened, "Come on, come on." He murmured, brow dripping with sweat.

"I think I- I'm dying." Regulus whispered dazedly. Remus sobbed and wrapped his arm around him and Sirius felt his gut curl. "No Moony- No-"

"You- You aren't allowed-" Remus wailed.

Regulus laid a hand on his cheek, "'M okay." 

"P-Pads." James wheezed, "I love you mate-"

"Don't you fucking dare, Potter." Sirius felt his eyes sting, "Don't you dare give me a goodbye speech. Reggie, you hang in there. Don't you dare close your eyes."

James dropped completely to the floor from where he'd been kneeling, laying flat on his stomach as he coughed. Remus pulled Regulus and himself closer to James. "Prongs, Prongs-"

"He-" Regulus sobbed, hunching over. "Head-" He was clutching his head and sobbing.

James was completely flat. He wasn't making a sound and from what Sirius could tell he wasn't even moving. Regulus was slowly quieting, body curling into a ball as his tiny form trembled. They were both quiet and weak. Sirius wasn't even sure that James was breathing any more.

"B-Baby?" Remus asked brokenly, shaking Regulus who had gone utterly still. "J-Jamie!" He cried, jerking James. Sirius wanted to cry. He wanted to lay his wand down, join his pack and die with them. But he couldn't. Moony wasn't affected by the curse and he couldn't leave him alone. Regulus and James were fine - they were just unconscious, he told himself. He would save them.

"Moony?" He called, hands shaking as he continued to detangle the knot that was Voldemort's repulsive magic. "Remus?" He snapped desperately.

"He- He-" Remus gagged, "Not- He isn't- He's barely breathing I- his heartbeat-" Sirius didn't know which one of them he was referring to and he could only hope that one of them hadn't already passed. "No- No, Jamie-"

Sirius felt his body thrum with adrenaline. His body was crawling with pain but he refused to back down. His brothers were suffering. His head had been pounding and he could almost feel his kidneys shutting down, but he had to keep going. Regulus and James were dying, Remus was crying as he tried to hold them together and _Sirius had to keep fucking going_.

"Yes!" He cried, grabbed the box and throwing the lid back on. Tightly, he wrapped it in secure enchantments and stuffed the golden box in his pocket. He jumped to his feet, shaky and unsteady as he stumbled over to the others. James was completely unconscious, chest moving slightly and Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. Regulus was curled into a ball, eyes closed but his chest wasn't moving. "R-Reggie?" He called, dropping to his knees.

Remus shook his head, "T-Take him. I'll carry James."

"M-Moony- Remus- Is-"

"His heart is beating b-but-" Remus sobbed as he carefully lifted James, "It won't be for much longer. Once we leave the wards it should stop the curse. I hope." He said as they stumbled their way through the hut. Sirius was staggering on his own but trying to carry an unconscious Regulus with him wasn't making it much easier.

The only reason Remus had given him Regulus was because of the difference in their weight, he knew. Else, Remus wouldn't have separated from his brother. But Sirius was far too weak to carry James at the moment, he was too shaky as it was. 

Sirius almost fell onto the ground as he burst from the door. Dragging Regulus down the steps, he sobbed in relief at the sight of Arcturus Black, still anxiously watching the shack.

"G-Grandfather!" He cried as they crossed the boundary. Whatever revealing spell Remus had placed on the ward stone had clearly faded and he wondered how worried Grandfather must have been when the hut dissolved from sight.

"Oh Merlin." Grandfather breathed, looking at Sirius in horror. "Sirius, you-"

"Go!" Remus cried, "Go, go, go! T-They're all dying!"

Grandfather gaped before presenting the portkey, Sirius had enough coherence to grip the chain and tighten his hold on Regulus before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was... fun? To write? Is that weird? I don't know.. I was so so so tempted to make this.. well.. gorier. I really wanted to but I thought I'd save that for another chapter.
> 
> But I do hope you saw all of the pack shine a little - especially Sirius and James. Though Remus and Regulus were a big help too! Grandfather was mainly there as backup - I really do think if he had been nearer the ring he would have done as Albus Dumbledore did in canon and tried to put it on. In my story, Arcturus loved Melania more than anything and he would certainly have used the opportunity to see her again.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts loves!! This ones got me nervous, I'll admit!


	34. The Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the final Horcrux acquisition.

When Sirius came to, he was aware that he was laying in a room far too clean to be his own.

The second thing that he was aware of was the hunched over form beside his bed. 

Sirius blearily looked around the room, taking in what he could see. He was in some kind of infirmary. Not St Mungo's, however. It was far too pristine in the pureblood way. The bed was plush, the furniture clearly brand new and there was art along the walls which looked like it could pay his whole Hogwarts tuition three times over.

Frowning minutely, he wondered where he was. He turned to the form beside him to hopefully glean some answers. As he looked at the huddled figure, he took a moment to wonder who they were. The hair wasn't dark, so not Regulus or James and yet they were certainly too young to be Grandfather, so that only left Remus.

Remus...

_Oh._

Sirius' eyes widened as he remembered why he had passed out. Desperately, he began trying to pull himself up and out of the bed. His jerky movements awoke the person beside him and he was internally pleased for a moment that he had been right when Remus began to hurriedly push him back down.

"N-No!" He croaked, "R-Reggie, James-"

Remus forced him back into the bed, leaning over him worriedly. "Don't move too much! You're still recovering!" He scolded as his eyes roved Sirius' body almost hungrily, fussing with the pillow and looming over him like a worried parent.

Angrily, Sirius tilted his head up to face Remus properly and immediately his ire drained from his body. To put it kindly; Remus looked absolutely awful. Bloodshot amber eyes peered back at him from a worn, tired face. His clothes were wrinkled and had obviously been worn for far too long. He smelled slightly - not terribly bad - but it was the distinctive sort of smell that meant he hadn't showered for at least a few days.

Sirius looked around the room desperately, "H-How long.." He trailed off.

"Three days." Remus murmured and Sirius felt a pang of worry for his friend. Remus looked completely bedraggled, as if he'd had his world rocked. 

Sirius swallowed down the lump in his throat. Memories of the mission they had embarked on came back to him. Regulus, pale with blood pouring from his fine nose and his chest barely moving while James was certainly no better with the wet, rattling coughs and his limp form being carried by a sobbing Remus. Sirius himself had been close to passing out and the moment he had seen Grandfather, the exhaustion and pain became too overwhelming for him.

"You passed out the moment we landed." Remus said as if reading his thoughts. "We landed in the parlour and your Grandfather called the house-elves to- to-"

Sirius felt tears burn in his eyes and Remus dropped heavily back into the chair. "Remus... please." He whispered, "A-Are-"

"Alive." Remus said with sad eyes, "Barely."

A sob overtook him. He hunched over and pressed his hands into his eyes, "I- I thought-"

"So did I." Remus whispered, gaze distant. "W-We landed and you were all just..."

Sirius swallowed. "Oh Godric, Moony- I'm so sorry. These past few days must have been awful."

"It's been like a nightmare that I can't wake up from." He muttered emptily. "You passed out when we landed and you and R-Reg just fell to the floor. Kreacher was beyond frantic, fluttering over you both... I took James myself and your grandfather... he looked terrified."

Sirius couldn't quite picture Arcturus Black looking truly terrified and he felt slightly numb. This all felt a little surreal. His eyes were still stinging but he hastily wiped them. He couldn't imagine how Remus must have been feeling.

"Your body was shutting down. I- I don't actually know how you survived, truthfully. Or, well, I don't know how you lasted so long without passing out. The healer said you were on the brink of..." He swallowed and shook his head, "Anyway. Your grandfather said it must have been out of sheer stubbornness." He chuckled weakly.

Nodding carefully, Sirius shifted slightly. "My back's killing me."

"You should have died, Sirius." Remus reminded him, looking completely broken. "Y-You all should have _died._ I- I could feel James' pulse weakening and I couldn't even hear Regulus' heart beating. You were all..." He choked on a sob, "I just sat there and did _nothing!"_ He wailed.

"What were you supposed to do?" Sirius hissed, reaching out to grab the boys arm. "You aren't an expert in Dark curses the way I am. Not even Reggie could have helped. You helped us even get in the place! If you hadn't weakened those wards, we wouldn't have gotten beyond the front door." He insisted. He couldn't have Remus wallowing in guilt, he wouldn't allow it. Not when it was due to his friend that they had even gotten as far as they did.

"I could- I should have-"

"No." Sirius insisted, "You did everything you could. You were right there when I needed you. You protected Reggie and you kept James from throwing himself at the Horcrux. We're all alive, okay? M-Maybe not in the best shape but, we'll live."

Remus sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve uncaringly. "I could feel the bonds weakening." Sirius had as well and by the way Remus was looking at him, he knew that. "I felt James and Regulus get weaker and weaker."

"So could I." Sirius confirmed as he swallowed. "They're alright, aren't they?"

Uncertainly, Remus seemed hesitate before he slumped. "The wards target your... strong point, I suppose. To drag it out and properly, uh, ruin you I guess. So that's why your back is so sore - yours was your spine. Poetic really. For James, that was his lungs. I guess because he's a sporty person, I don't know. James is okay, though. He's strong."

Sirius felt mild relief fill him, "And Reggie?" He asked worriedly.

Remus' face spasmed again, "He's- He isn't doing as well." He admitted, "For Regulus, his strong point is his brain. His intellect. It-" He looked away, biting his lip.

"Moony, please." He whispered.

Remus sniffled, "If we had been mere _seconds_ longer he would have died." He rasped, "Maybe a minute after that and James would have as well."

Grief filled him. If he had been any slower...

"Don't." Remus snapped, "It's because of you that we're all here." He said sternly, "You won't let me feel sorry for myself? Then you don't get to either."

"If I had been quicker-"

"Shut up!" Remus hissed, "I- I almost lost you _all!_ Don't you _dare-"_

Sirius pulled Remus close to him, yanking him by his collar and forcing him to wrap his arms around Sirius or else he'd push him off the bed and risk injuring him. Remus let out a sob, burying his face in Sirius' neck and Sirius let his own tears fall as he held onto Remus desperately. 

All he could think about was how awful the past few days must have been for Remus. Not only had Regulus, his mate, been injured, but his two closest friends as well. Remus' whole pack were down for the count and there wasn't a thing he could do but sit back and wait.

Honestly, he wasn't sure what he would have done if he had awoken to Remus full of grief and only bad news. If James and Regulus had both perished, he wouldn't have stopped until Voldemort and every fucker with a Dark Mark was _dead._ He would single-handedly take them all down and he didn't doubt that Remus and Grandfather would be right along side him.

"James is still down." Remus murmured as he pulled back, "He hasn't woken up but the healers said his body is still recovering. It's a good thing James told his parents and Evans that we'd be out in the country camping - they'd be livid otherwise."

"Bloody hell," Sirius breathed, "Euphemia is going to kill Grandfather if she ever finds out. Fleamont too."

"Let us hope they do not." Grandfather rasped. Sirius darted his gaze to the man and his heart ached at the sight of him. From where he was stood tiredly leaning against the door frame, Sirius could see his already aged face looked even older, a deep grief and worry was set in his expression. Sirius swallowed back the apologies he so desperately wanted to spew. "I am glad to see you awake, my boy."

Sirius nodded, "It's good to be awake. I had thought..." He trailed off, wincing when Remus flinched and Grandfather closed his eyes tiredly. "Remus said that Reg.. is he alright?"

Grandfather conjured a chair and lowered himself into it carefully. "Regulus is doing as well as can be expected. His body is weak and for a while-" He spared an apologetic glance at Remus, "I was informed that it was very likely he would not survive."

Remus turned to him with wild eyes, "You said-"

"I did not think it best to worry you further." Grandfather replied smoothly, "You had already been restrained to a chair for fear of you partaking in some suicide mission out of worry. It would have only made you worse and I had faith that my grandson would recover. Merlin knows he would not have approved of you doing something so reckless."

Swallowing, Sirius turned his attention to Grandfather's earlier words, "But he's okay now?"

"Yes. Of course. I had the best healer on hand." Grandfather assured.

Remus looked down tiredly, "You were actually the best off, Padfoot. They said you were fighting the curse. I don't even know how."

"Stubbornness." Grandfather said fondly, "As I have said, my Heir is a _true_ Black. He would not allow a curse like this to fell him."

Sirius smiled weakly, "James and Regulus are just as stubborn."

"Heir Potter has not been exposed to Dark Magic in the way you have." Grandfather mused, "As for Regulus, well, Walburga's _tender care_ has had substantial effects on his physical health. The healer assured me that had he been the average teenage boy, he would have healed the same as you or Potter did."

Overwhelming fury filled him. If Walburga had just been a decent person, Regulus wouldn't have been so close to death. The anger flooded his veins, rage coiled in his gut and suddenly the windows in the little infirmary room he was in blew outwards.

Grandfather sighed and waved his wand to fix the windows, "I had expected such a reaction. I myself exploded a vase."

Sirius felt his hands shake, "She- Reggie could have-"

"I know." Grandfather said darkly, "Believe me, I am aware. In time, Walburga will get what is coming to her. However, Voldemort is currently our biggest enemy."

Sirius gasped suddenly, "Grandfather! The Horcrux! Did we-"

Remus smiled slightly, "You did it, Sirius. You broke the curse and although the ring was certainly tempting-"

"Seeing my grandsons in such a state was enlightening, I suppose." Grandfather hummed, "The elves were very quick in taking the ring far out of sight once we returned. I even checked Regulus' map, they are all in our possession."

Expelling a sigh of relief, Sirius slumped against the pillows. The Horcrux hunt had started last year with only a scared little boy and his house elf. It had extended to include the boy's brother and his grandfather. It furthered to include his boyfriend and his best friend. Sirius felt like he could cry in relief.

"Should we destroy them?" Sirius asked, "Not now of course, Reggie and Jamie need to be there."

"You must also recover first, Sirius." Grandfather raised an eyebrow.

Remus hummed, rubbing at his cheek tiredly and Sirius felt his love for Remus grow impossibly larger. He looked so worn down. Sirius wanted to swap places with the werewolf to give him a nice warm bed. Perhaps the elves should whip up something warm for him to eat.

"Stop looking at me like that, Padfoot. Regulus might get jealous." Remus teased but his eyes were sad, "I do have to ask though; Do we know if Voldemort will feel the Horcruxes being destroyed?"

Grandfather pursed his lips, "I am uncertain. However, I do not think so. They have been separated from him far too long."

"But the Horcruxes _know_ us." Sirius said, thinking back to what the soul piece had whispered at him to try and tempt him.

"Yes, but that is in their nature." Grandfather mused, "I believe they are too far out of Voldemort's direct sphere of influence to be felt by him. After all, surely he would have felt our attempts to destroy the locket or at least Regulus' work on his diary."

"He'd probably have felt them being stolen too." Remus nodded.

Grandfather inclined his head, "That too. Now, Sirius, I would like for you to try and rest-" He raised a hand when Sirius went to interrupt, "However, I am also aware of your devotion to your brother and your friend. Therefore, instead of allowing you to run about wildly, I shall take you to their rooms."

"Speaking of, where are we?" Sirius asked as he carefully climbed out of bed.

His legs felt shaky and his back was still slightly sore, but he felt pretty okay altogether. "You've been given a lot of potions." Remus said and Sirius felt like that explained why he wasn't crippled with pain. His joints were stiff from laying in a bed for three days and he winced as his bones clicked and cracked with his movements.

"The hospital wing of Black Manor." Sirius blinked at Grandfather who smirked slightly, "You remember the hall on the second floor that I had told you I was remodelling?"

Sirius' mouth fell open, "You made a hospital wing?"

"With you boys, I felt it prudent." Grandfather hummed. Sirius blinked offendedly and the man raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at where was leaning onto Remus for support and Sirius flushed. "Quite."

Sirius looked around as they entered the hallway. It was completely white and looked startlingly clean, not unlike the rest of the manor but this was more clinical. As if it were being repeatedly sterilised. They continued to the next white door and Remus reached out to push it open. The room looked the same as Sirius' and he had a feeling they had all been copied across the rooms, though he didn't know how many there were. 

There had to have been at least three as James Potter was sleeping peacefully in the bed in the centre of the room. The sunlight streaming in made James' tanned skin look like it glowed and his body was unnaturally still. Sirius could see all remnants of blood had been cleaned away in the previous three days and his cheeks, though slightly waxen, were flushed lightly with life.

Sirius staggered over, pushing away from Remus to reach out and press a shaky hand to James' neck. He had to know. He had to make sure.

"He's alive, Sirius." Remus assured, coming up behind him to steady his shaking legs. "They're both okay, I swear to you."

Sirius' eyes burned as he ran a hand through James' hair. He chuckled wetly, "Bloody mess as always."

"Ah, yes." Grandfather hummed from where he was respectfully lingering in the doorway, he didn't really know James after all. "The healers were baffled by the state of his hair. Apparently it has a life of it's own."

"It does." Sirius sniffled, eyes dripping with relieved tears. He bent down to press a kiss to James' forehead and sniffled again, "You twat, you're lucky I love you. Scaring me like that."

"Love you 'oo." James murmured, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them blearily. "'Lo gorgeous." James grinned weakly.

Sirius sobbed, reaching out to wrap his arms around James. "You utter prat!"

Remus hurried around to the other side of the bed to pull James into a hug. "I- I-"

"How long?" James whispered, looking around confusedly before his eyes widened, "The ring!"

"We got it, Jamie." Sirius assured him, pushing him back down into the bed. Poor Remus was staring at James with a hunger in his eyes that Sirius remembered from his own awakening. "It's been three days, apparently."

"Apparently?"

"I just woke up too." Sirius smirked, "Beat you to it."

James rolled his eyes, "It's the only thing you'll ever hold over me." His voice was scratchy from disuse but it was music to Sirius' ears.

Grandfather cleared his throat, "It is good to see you awake, Heir Potter." His voice was fairly neutral but he was much more relaxed than Sirius had seen him in a while, "I have so missed your charming ability to disregard all propriety." The dry, sarcasm in his voice made James laugh.

"It's only a matter of time, my Lord Black, before you realise the depth of my character." James chuckled before wincing, "Right, don't make me laugh. Apparently I'm too weak. Padfoot turn around, your dopey face will make me-"

Sirius tugged his hair harshly, _"Twat._ You almost died. How are you making jokes?"

James sniffed, "I'm clearly fine. Don't be a baby." James' eyes softened and he tugged Sirius closer, "Honestly, mate, I'm okay. Yeah, my chest is a little sore, but I'll live!"

Remus choked, "You'd better. Bloody hell Prongs-"

"Moony!" James grinned but his eyes were soft, "Sorry about that. You should have done what Padfoot did and kissed me to wake me up. Clearly, I just needed my dashing Prince Charming from that story you told me about."

Remus looked like he wanted to say something disparaging but he grinned instead, "I can not _believe_ I've missed you so much."

"It's okay, Moony. You'll soon get sick of us." James assured, pulling the boy closer to him and smacking a kiss on his cheek. "Nobody tell Reggie I-" He blinked and looked around the room, eyes wild. "Wait, where _is_ my little fox?"

Quickly, Sirius rushed to assure him as James' eyes were beginning to get frantic, "He's alright. The curse targeted our strengths, yours is your lungs, mine's my spine and Reggie's is his brain."

"My lungs?" James frowned, "That's a jab at my loudness, I feel like." He shook his head, "Your spine makes sense, you're a stubborn prick. Reggie... little swot he is." James chuckled fondly.

Remus smiled softly, "You were pretty rough but you're doing much better than I had thought. The healers were impressed all of you lasted so long. Especially Regulus."

At James' slightly confused look, Sirius curled his lip into a sneer. "Reggie is alright but he'd be better if Walburga hadn't fucked his body up so much." At that, James scowled and Sirius nodded. "We're all okay though." 

James brightened, "Yes. Oh- Wait-" He looked wildly at Grandfather, "Please don't tell me Mum knows."

Grandfather rolled his eyes, "Out of respect for the Potters, I should have informed them immediately. If it weren't for the difficult questions, I would have. However, if I were to inform them I would then need to explain the Horcruxes and that would put the mission at risk."

Slumping in relief, James breathed out, "Good. Mum would murder me. Dad would probably help."

"Same." Remus grimaced, "I made sure to send a letter to your family though, I just said that you were having the time of your life running about and being an idiot and I had taken it upon myself to assure them that you were okay." He said looking mightily guilty. 

Sirius swallowed. If one of them had passed, Remus would likely have been the one to inform the family as the others were all fighting for their own lives. If they had all passed, Remus would have had to bury all of his pack members at once. James flinched slightly and Sirius could see the sad understanding as he stroked the back of Remus' hand reassuringly.

"Right. Someone help me out of this bed, I need to see my ickle fox." James demanded. Sirius grinned and took a step back.

"You sure about that, Sleeping Beauty?" Remus asked with a raised brow. "You both should be in bed."

"They are far too tenacious to listen to reason." Grandfather bemoaned, though he was smirking slightly. Sirius stuck his tongue out at the man who waved his wand to conjure two sticks. "You shall both be using these to move around." He said, presenting the canes to them.

Sirius whined, "I'm not an old man." He huffed. Grandfather pointedly clicked his own elegant cane against the tile and Sirius smiled sheepishly, "Well, that is to say-"

"Just use the bloody cane, Padfoot. It's good practice for when you're a fancy Lord." James grinned, using Remus to help him pull himself from the bed. "Ouch, I'm right sore. I feel like I did training without warming up. Or like I went three rounds with Moony." He said, nudging the werewolf with a wink.

Remus looked at him with distaste, "I am so tempted to drop you right now." He said, loosening his hold on James who squeaked.

"Don't you dare." He hissed, "I am a fragile-"

"Hunk of meat." Sirius called from where he was assessing the two canes. James seemed less able to move around than him. Probably because the effects on his body had been more life threatening. He clicked the cane along the floor as he extended the other to James. 

James took the cane and twirled it, banging it against the floor. Remus stared for a moment before shaking his head tiredly, "Really don't know what's wrong with you two."

"They feed into each others bad habits." Grandfather said amusedly, "As all teenage boys do."

"I knew you liked me." James said sagely, twirling his cane again before taking a few steps with it. "Oh, I like this! Proper snazzy."

"What is snazzy?" Grandfather frowned, "I hope it is no insult. Using a cane, paired with the correct robes, gives a man a most debonair appearance." He fiddled slightly with his own cane.

Sirius snickered, "In other words, _snazzy."_

Grandfather shook his head, "I do not understand modern terms."

Holding back his humour, Sirius motioned to Remus, "Lead the way, Moons. I want to see my Reggie."

Remus winced slightly, looking at Grandfather who took a step forward, "Due to the nature of Regulus' injuries, his room must be kept as sterile as possible." He said, motioning them to follow him into the hallway. Grandfather took measured strides down the hall, ignoring the few portraits of their much nicer and calmer ancestors who were asking for updates on 'the little ones'. When they saw Sirius, they shrieked and began chittering amongst themselves.

Sirius ignored the portraits, focusing on what Grandfather had said. They continued down the hall and Grandfather stopped in front of a white door that had a glimmering ward along the wood. 

"What-" James frowned and tilted his head, "Is that a ward?"

"Yes." Grandfather replied, raising his wand and creating an odd bubble around Sirius that then absorbed into his skin while Remus did the same for James and himself. "I shall stay out here. It is best not to have too many in the room. We can not risk any infection reaching him, even a mild cold would kill him." Grandfather said seriously and Sirius flinched.

Remus looked grief stricken and Sirius wondered just how many times he must have held that expression in the last few days. "The healer doesn't think he'll wake up for another few days."

"What healer?" Sirius frowned.

Grandfather's lips quirked, "I believe you will remember Poppy Pomfrey?"

James gaped, "The Matron is here?" He gasped, looking around wildly as if she'd jump out from behind a plant.

"She _was."_ Remus corrected, "She comes in and out to check on you all. She'll smack us both for letting you get up so soon." He winced.

Grandfather grimaced slightly, "Very true. Poppy is a friend of mine and she has always been fond of you boys - particularly Regulus. She was all too happy to lend her services."

James rubbed his forehead, "Bloody hell. Who else has been here?"

"Just the house-elves. Hoppy especially has not been happy. I believe once the family all arrives we will need to monitor Walburga's food. He has been quite vocal in his dislike of her recently." Grandfather hummed, "More so than usual, anyway." He smirked.

Sirius nodded, looking anxiously at the door. Remus patted his arm, "Try not to crowd him too much." At Sirius' indignant glare, Remus scowled slightly, "I get it, Padfoot. I really do. But he's too weak. We have to be careful."

The pain in Remus' voice dampened Sirius' ire. James beside him was gnawing his lip and Sirius nodded, squeezing James' hand and nodding at Grandfather. Remus pressed his wand against the handle of the door and the door slowly clicked open. The ward fluttered as they passed under it, cleansing them further and assessing them for any pathogens they may be unknowingly carrying.

He assumed they had all passed the little test as the door swung closed behind James who was at the back of the line. Sirius examined the room carefully. It was very similar to the past two rooms except there were no portraits or decorative pieces. The room was completely empty except for the bed in the centre and he assumed that was due to making it easier to keep clean. A few chairs and a bedside table were there too, but they were plain by Black standards. No gaudy decorations or glimmering jewels anywhere.

Sirius' heart clenched as he saw the tiny and pale form of his brother, propped up against some pillows. Sirius felt a dull grief fill him as he looked down at Regulus. The boy's cheekbones were more prominent than ever, his lips were dry and cracked and his cheeks were hollowed. Swallowing, he looked at the dullness of Regulus' usually glossy hair and the fragility of his body with wet eyes.

"He looks tiny." James whispered sadly.

Remus swallowed, "He's thinner. The healers said he's more prone to losing what little weight he has."

Sirius ran a finger down Regulus' face, "How has he been eating?"

"He hasn't." Remus grimaced, "They had you on potions to replace food. They don't work long term of course, but for the time you were all unconscious they were alright. Do you feel hungry?"

James pressed a hand to his stomach, "Not really. Feels more like I skipped dinner last night or something."

"Same." Sirius agreed half-heartedly. His eyes were fixed to the sharpness of Regulus' cheekbones and he laid his thumb across the point, "Oh puppy. Why is it always you?" He whispered.

Remus sniffled, "Madam Pomfrey's been in a rage ever since you were all brought here. She smacked your grandfather actually."

Sirius jerked in shock and James snickered, "Unsurprising. She's bloody ferocious."

Mouthing silently Sirius stared at Remus who looked amused, "It was enough to shock me out of my grief. Should have seen her, whirled around on one foot and slapped him clean across his cheek. Said he shouldn't be endangering children."

Sirius grimaced, "She has a point but-"

"She doesn't understand the consequences." James murmured, "'S why I can't tell my parents or Lily. I want to but.. it's too big."

Remus nodded, "She wanted to know what happened and she wanted to tell your family too but your grandfather pointed out that as you're an adult now, that was no longer a legal requirement." Remus added, "And it's not like she would go and tell Walburga. Madam Pomfrey knows exactly what she's like."

"I'm surprised she didn't get more upset at Grandfather." Sirius frowned.

"Trust me, she was." Remus said seriously, "But he explained what little he could to her and she's smart enough to put the pieces together. She knows it's to do with the war and she's been a lot more- uh, well she hasn't tried to slap him. _Again."_

"How many times did she smack him?" James snickered.

"Three, I think. Though they were alone in Regulus' room for a while when I was checking on you two so maybe that's when she told him about Reg almost-" He swallowed, glaring fiercely at the ground.

"Almost what?" James asked with a frown.

Sirius expelled a breath, "Reggie almost didn't make it. Same for you. But-"

"Regulus was-" James blinked, eyes tearing up. "No. What?"

"It was bad, James." Remus whispered, "I had you and Regulus dying in my arms and Sirius was still trying to unenchant the ring."

Sirius bit back the self-pitying spiel he wanted to spew and shook his head. He smiled as he subtly checked Regulus' pulse and felt the soft thumping.

"There's some good news though," Remus said suddenly, "Because you managed to get rid of the curse, the village of Little Hangleton has already improved."

James brightened, "Really?"

Blinking, Sirius turned to Remus hopefully, "It worked?"

"The muggles have been acting differently. People have said it was like coming out of a dream. Or like they have been sleepwalking for a long time." Remus said with a weak smile, "There's been some bad... some of the people that have realised what they've done have... well-"

James grimaced, "Understandable, I suppose." He tilted his head, "Have the Ministry gotten involved yet?"

Remus looked a little sad, "No. We can't risk it. Voldemort might connect the dots so we're waiting. But things are already improving."

"That's a good point." Sirius bit his lip, "I want him to wake up." Sirius whispered, turning back to Regulus. "Seeing him like this.. it reminds me of when I'd sneak into the hospital wing to check on him when we weren't talking."

Remus laughed humourlessly, "Agree with you there, mate." He said and Sirius turned sad eyes on him. "I'm sorry, it's just these past few days have been-"

"We get it, Moony." James said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It can't have been easy. We're all here now though, yeah? And Regulus is strong. He's a little fighter."

Remus nodded morosely and Sirius ran his fingers through Regulus hair. They sat in the little chairs and talked quietly, all desperate to forget the memories of the previous mission, at least for the time being. Every so often one of them would turn to Regulus hopefully before slumping and continuing with the conversation. All Sirius could hope for was that Regulus would wake up soon and be okay.

Regulus felt like he was on a cloud.

He didn't quite feel right in himself, but the surface he was laying on was soft and light. He felt like he was floating aimlessly through the sky with no direction or thought in mind. Just the strong sensation that things weren't right lingered and stopped him from feeling truly peaceful.

Every so often he would hear something. A voice. Or a series of voices. It was like that muggle radio Remus had shown him; when you turned the little dial, sometimes you would tune in to other channels and you'd hear snippets of other songs or conversations. It felt much like that. As if someone were messing around with the little knob and his brain couldn't latch on to the sounds to hear it properly.

Regulus slowly felt awareness come to him. He was asleep. Or perhaps he wasn't. But he was definitely not awake, not yet. Desperately, he tried to remember what had happened. He didn't think he'd been abducted and he was much too comfortable to be passed out somewhere random. Fluttering his lashes, he cracked his eyes open slightly and took in the room.

It was fairly dark, but not dark enough for it to be night time. Early evening, perhaps. Or maybe early morning just as the sun rose. It was hard to tell. Regulus' eyes flicked around the room and wrinkled his nose at the feelings it hit him with.

He felt like he was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Any second now, Madam Pomfrey would appear with a stern word and her arms folded angrily, he was certain. Regulus blinked. Hogwarts. 

Something.. something was calling to him. He furrowed his brows as he tried to remember. Something with Hogwarts.. no. Not Hogwarts.. something beginning with a 'H'. 

Regulus' breath hitched. _Horcrux._ Yes. Of course. 

His mind raced as it all came flooding back to him. The graveyard, the village, the shack.. the ring. The Horcrux and it's seductive crooning to _take me, Regulus, your grandmother misses you dearly_. But he knew it was a lie. Grandmother would never have wanted him to risk his life like that.

Sirius had been untangling the Dark curse that had been on the ring, Regulus remembered that. The same curse that had been infecting the village and poisoning the townspeople's minds. He could remember desperately hoping that Sirius could free them from Voldemort's depravity. No one deserved to unwillingly be subjected to his vileness.

He could also remember hoping he hurried up because his head had begun to throb. James beside him had been slowly getting weaker and Regulus could remember barely being conscious when his friend suddenly slumped over. Regulus had followed shortly after and from there he was blank so he assumed he passed out.

Regulus looked around frantically. Was he dead? No, his head still pulsed slightly, so not dead. Unless he hadn't been considered good enough in life and was therefore stuck in this room for eternity with a dull banging in his head.

Letting out a whimper, he pulled himself up on thin, weak arms. He had to get up. Regulus pulled his body up and let his legs dangle over the side of the bed. He carefully pressed forward onto his feet, wincing as his muscles strained. His legs wavered and he dropped painfully onto the floor and he bit his lip to hold back a hurt filled cry. He was much more fragile than he had been in a while. In fact, the last time he had truly been so unwell was back when he and Kreacher went after the locket.

Kreacher... Oh Merlin, his brain really must be addled to have not thought of it sooner.

"Kreacher!" Regulus rasped, coughing as his throat was dry from disuse. A soft pop sounded and Kreacher appeared with blood shot eyes. Regulus felt a pang of sadness for his friend, "K-Kreacher! What ails you m-my friend?" He asked.

"Oh Master! Sweet Master Regulus be worrying about little old Kreacher. Master should be worrying about himself, yes he should!" Kreacher wailed, dropping to his knees as Regulus twisted his body so they were facing each other. "Little Master has fallen! Kreacher must tell Master Black-"

"Kreacher!" Regulus gasped, "B-Black? Is that where we are? Are we in Black Manor?"

"Yes Master!" Kreacher's ears wiggled, eyes filling with tears. "Oh sweet, kind Master Regulus does not deserve- no he does not. Master Black be getting Master Regulus hurt, _bad Master_!" Kreacher hissed before shrieking, pressing a hand to his mouth and looking around wildly, twisting at his own ear painfully.

"Do not punish y-yourself! I forbit it!" Regulus coughed, "K-Kreacher, some water please?" The elf flinched, snapping his fingers and Regulus remembered the time he had been so unwell and desperately calling for water with Kreacher's frantic company. "I'm sorry, my friend."

Kreacher shook his head rapidly, "Master should not be sorry! Master is unwell. Kreacher must get somebody to help Master Regulus."

Regulus nodded, "Y-You do that, K-Kreacher." He hummed, swallowing carefully. His head throbbed and he hoped whoever Kreacher brought in would give him something for the pain. It felt as if his head was being spilt apart.

The elf popped away with a soft sob and Regulus was left to his thoughts. Were the others okay? Remus had been unaffected by the curse on the wards due to his creature status but Sirius and James had certainly been affected. He had seen the shakiness of Sirius' hands and the amount he was sweating, as well as the hacking coughs from James and his almost delirious state.

It was a terrible oversight from Voldemort to not account for creatures - especially since he was now working with them. But as the village had clearly been affected for many years, it's likely Voldemort had only just graduated when he placed the ring. It's possible he hadn't been back since, confident in his magic and it's abilities to protect the Horcrux.

Clearly, he hadn't been back to the cave. If he had, Regulus Black and all others of Black ancestry would have been slain immediately.

"Mr Black!" The familiar, stern voice called and he felt his head spin.

"M-Madam Pomfrey?" He exclaimed. "Wh-What are you doing h-here?"

She tutted, a fierce scowl on her face as she levitated him up and onto the bed. "That elf- he should have at least put you on the bed!"

"Don't be mean to Kreacher." He snapped before pinkening, "I- I am _so_ sorry-"

Her eyes softened as she peered at him, wand already firing off some healing spells or diagnostics, he wasn't sure. "All is well, Mr Black. You are still recovering however and should not attempt to get out of bed. You were much worse off than the others."

Regulus gasped, "The others! My brothers- Remus! Are they all okay?"

The woman looked amused, "I remember the days when you and Mr Potter despised each other. What a pleasant turn of events. Do not fret, they are all well and good. I believe your brother is completely fine bar the odd ache in his back. That shall go away by the end of the week, however. As for Mr Potter, he is still experiencing difficulty breathing and is subsequently banned from any physical activity for a week. Including flying."

Regulus winced, "Jamie must hate that."

"You are also," She gave him a wry look, "-all banned from participating in any nightly activities. Particularly where they concern a certain werewolf."

With burning cheeks, Regulus spluttered, "W-We- We aren't- we haven't even-"

She laughed, "My dear, I meant joining him on the full moons." She said, smirking slightly as she added, "Though you are most certainly banned from the other kind of physical activity." 

Regulus huffed, "When is the full moon? And how do you even know about that?"

"The full moon is next week. You are not allowed to join, I am sorry. And, well, I should hope you didn't think me such a fool." The healer said with a cocked eyebrow, "I have read all about werewolves in my training and I ensured I knew every little thing when I knew one of my students for the next year would be a werewolf. I know exactly why his moons were so rough and I know why they eased off."

Regulus gaped for a moment before nodding, "Thank you." He said gratefully, "I never thanked you for taking such good care of him all of those years."

Madam Pomfrey smiled down at him, "Dear, it is my duty! I am always willing to help any student and Mr Lupin is such a kind boy. I was more than happy to be there for him. You had your own struggles." She said pointedly, "Now, what is this I hear about you not taking your potions?"

"I do now!" He insisted hurriedly, "I used to sometimes forget but I p-promise I-" He coughed, cutting himself off.

She tutted, "If you hadn't been so fragile, you would have recovered by now. You've been passed out much longer than your fr- _brothers."_ She corrected herself.

"How long was I- were they-" He hurriedly took another sip of water to soothe his throat.

"Try not to talk to much or I shall silence you." She huffed, "Mr Black and Mr Potter both awoke on the same day, three days after the incident that your grandfather _refuses_ to explain to me. Honestly, allowing children to-" She dissolved into grumbles as she pulled a variety of potions from a little pouch.

Regulus blinked. "But how long ago was that?"

She looked sad, "Two days ago. It's been five, overall."

A pang went through Regulus. Remus had been alone for three days and all of them had been missing him for a further two. "H-How are- are they all okay?"

"They are all well. Mr Lupin had to be sedated multiple times the first day and it was very... tricky for a while. Your status - to put it kindly - was precarious at best. I had thought for a moment that I had lost you. That curse targeted your strengths, your brain is very delicate all things considered and we are quite lucky that you seem to be mentally sound." Her voice had wavered towards the middle and he had always known she cared for him, but the tightness of her features and the tiredness in her gaze made his eyes sting.

"Thank you, Madam." He whispered. "You've always been there for me. Much more than even my own mother. At times, you were there when Sirius wasn't."

She pursed her lips and blinked a few times, resting a frail hand on his forehead, "Such a sweet boy." She murmured before swallowing, "I always knew you deserved much better. I worried for you endlessly... as I worry for all my students. But usually they have someone, some kind of support. You were always so alone. I can not begin to describe the happiness I feel seeing you with such a strong group of friends, family really, around you."

Regulus' eyes burned and he laid his hand on top of hers that was on the bed beside him, "Thank you." He whispered, hoping it conveyed all he wanted to say. Her warm smile and the way she flipped her hand to squeeze his softly made him smile. 

"Your family have all worried endlessly over you. I am told you have a family dinner in a few days." She hummed, fluffing his pillow.

Regulus furrowed his brow, "Wasn't it supposed to have been today?"

"It was pushed back. Lord Black cited a scheduling error and the family - though disgruntled - have worked around it. You have three days until the meal." She said, "And in those three days, you shall do nothing but rest. You are to stay in this room and I shall allow visitors but I do not want you running off and putting yourself in danger. You very nearly died, Mr Black. Your family have been terrified for you."

"Wasn't on purpose." He grumbled petulantly.

"I mean it. If you and your friends hadn't formed a pack bond, you would be dead." She said, scowling at him to impress upon him the seriousness of the situation.

"H-How did you-"

She rolled her eyes, "The way Mr Lupin behaved, as I said. We had to body bind him to a chair and dose him with enough calming draught that it would have killed the average wizard. A werewolf only ever acts like that when his mate or pack is threatened."

"The pack bond... saved us?" He asked reverently.

She quirked her lips again, "It did. You would certainly have perished were it not for the bond. Mr Potter may have as well."

"Sirius?"

"Mr Black - through some miracle - was able to fight the curse. I do not know what he was doing at the time, but he must have been extremely resolute in whatever it was." She said with begrudging respect, "Do try not to put yourself in such a situation again. I fear your body may not be able to take it."

Regulus nodded, "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Do you know if I can see the others?" He asked, clearing his throat as the potions she had slipped him started to work. His eyes felt slightly heavy but he needed to see his pack. He could feel the bond so he knew they were all alive, but he needed the reassurance of actually seeing them. He needed to hear James' laughter, see Remus' gentle amber eyes and feel Sirius' warm hugs. 

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, frowning slightly. She could clearly see that he was tired but he tilted his head slightly, stubbornly setting his jaw. Clicking her tongue, she acquiesced. "Fine. But I shan't be having you doing anything strenuous. You will stay in bed and if they begin to distress you I shall drag them all out by their ears." She snapped, twirling on her foot and stomping to the door.

Regulus giggled slightly. He truly adored Madam Pomfrey and her stern but unendingly caring mannerisms.

There was a lot of scuffling outside the door; hushed whispers and slightly raised voices that then hurriedly quieted. A lot of movement too, as if people were crowding the door or rearranging themselves constantly. Regulus felt out at the pack bond curiously. Remus was warm but full of anxiety, James was the same but there was a lot of excitement too which was unsurprising. That boy was excited by a leaf, it seemed. As for Sirius, his bond felt hot, burning with anger and impatience as well as relief.

Relief was palpable across all of the bonds and he felt it flood through him. They were all okay. They had to be.

The door swung open and Sirius burst through, ignoring Madam Pomfrey who was berating him for rushing past her. "Mr Black! I told you-"

"Puppy!" Sirius cried, throwing his arms around Regulus before almost immediately pulling back, holding his shoulders and pressing their faces closely together. Sirius' grey eyes darted across his face desperately, "You're alright?"

Regulus blinked at his brother, love and warmth filling him and he nodded. "Yes?"

Sirius let out a sob and wrapped him in a tight hug again. Sirius was sniffling in his ear and he was pretty sure he was staining his shirt with tears and other fluids with the way he was sobbing open mouthed against his shoulder, but he didn't care. Regulus' eyes prickled and he reached up to wrap his arms around Sirius.

He could hear Madam Pomfrey guarding the door still and as he pulled back, Sirius pressed a desperate kiss to his forehead, murmuring the word 'alive' over and over again.

"I'm here, Siri." He promised. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Of course. It's you I'm worried about, little lion. It's been-"

"Five days. I know. Had a nice chat with the Matron." Regulus quirked his lips.

Sirius scowled, "Yes, I heard about that. Dragging yourself out of bed and dropping to the floor? Bloody hell. You just can't keep yourself out of trouble can you, little star?" He said with a fond inflection.

Regulus grinned weakly, "You know me." He frowned, "Why do I feel-"

"You have to let us in!" Remus growled, "Please, Madame!"

Regulus winced at the onslaught of emotion. Remus' wolf was going haywire at being separated from his mate and Regulus could feel the need to soothe him.

"Moony?" He called, voice still weak and scratchy.

The Matron let out an exasperated groan as she let Remus pass who bolted to the side of Regulus' bed. "Baby! You're awake!"

"We got that, Remus." James' amused voice came from the doorway as he closed the door behind him. He could still hear Madam Pomfrey grumbling in the hallway, "Sorry about him. Madam Pomfrey was trying to explain things to us but you know Padfoot, impatient as always. Then Moony decided he couldn't wait the extra couple minutes either and well, I don't like to be left out."

Remus and Sirius were on either side of his bed and James was peeking over Sirius' shoulder. Regulus relaxed into the bed at the presence of his pack. He closed his eyes and took a moment to bask in the warmth they filled him with. The others quickly conjured chairs - or in James' case, showed off by transfiguring the little bedside table - and sat in them.

They too seemed to be revelling in the moment. Remus and Sirius were both clutching on to one of his hands and James had his head on Regulus' thigh over the top of the blanket Madam Pomfrey had tucked him into.

"You're okay." Remus breathed, eyes glassy. "Y-You-"

"Oh, darling. C'mere." He sniffled, motioning for Remus to come closer. He kissed his cheek and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, snickering when Remus had to contort himself to be much smaller to properly fit without crushing Regulus. "Oh Moony, I'm so sorry. The past few days must have been awful. Especially before Siri and Jamie woke up."

"It was hell." Remus choked, "I felt you dying, love. I- I felt-" He sobbed, "You were dying in my arms and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop it."

Regulus pulled his ear playfully, "None of that. I'm here, I'm okay. You saved us all from the beginning - we'd have died much sooner if we hadn't had you there to work on the wards."

"Being a werewolf was helpful for once." Remus grumbled, "Should have been able to disable it properly."

"Idiot." Regulus rolled his eyes, "If - not to boast - even _I_ couldn't have done it, then you certainly wouldn't have been able to."

Remus blinked, looking endeared despite himself. "I've missed you _so_ much."

Regulus sniffed, "I should think so."

"Right, you two done? I wanna cuddle my ickle brother. Everyone else got a turn so-" Regulus reached forward to yank James towards himself. The boy laughed, tightening his arms around Regulus, "You scared us, fluffy. Don't do it again." He whispered, kissing his cheek as he pulled away.

Regulus smiled at him. "Love you too, Jamie."

"Oi!" Sirius smacked at James and pushed him back into his seat, "What about me?"

"You ran forward and _stole_ him-" Remus started angrily.

"Stole him! If anyone here did the _stealing,_ Remus, it is _obviously-"_

Regulus laid back and watched the two bicker over his bed with an incredulous look on his face.

"-mine first!"

"But he's obviously _mine_ now!"

"Oh, that is it Lupin. You and me, right now. In the duelling room. I'll kick your _furry-"_

"Didn't kick my arse last time, did you?"

Sirius gasped, "You fucking _liar-"_

"Couldn't even properly down me."

"I'll fucking knock the lycanthropy right out of you!"

"Like to see you _try-"_

Regulus scowled. He cleared his throat once but they continued to bicker. With a fierce glare, he leaned up to smack them both upside the head.

They both startled and looked down at him woundedly.

"Now, _why_ would you-"

"Just _rude-"_

Regulus glared at them both, "I am still recovering."

They both turned sheepish. Looking at each other and mumbling apologies while James was still leaning back with a cocky grin on his face. 

"Aw, Reggie! You shouldn't have! I would have bet money on Moony kicking Padfoot's scrawny backside!"

"Last time I knocked him to the ground!" Sirius insisted.

Remus sniffed, "Didn't _stay_ down though, did I?"

"You're a fucking _werewolf-"_

Regulus huffed, "Pay attention to me! I'm sick and clearly in need of attention. I want attention!" He demanded before blinking. Regulus stared at them all with wide eyes, mouthing silently before holding a hand to his mouth as he recounted what he just said. "Did Madam Pomfrey slip me Veritaserum?" He whispered, horrified.

James laughed, "No, that's the pain relief. It's some weird blend - don't ask me, Black family secret _apparently_ \- that your grandfather brewed for her. It's supposed to be really powerful. The only major side effect is that it makes you much more likely to spill your guts."

"You basically have your filter removed." Remus said, looking amused. "It's probably only just starting to kick in. She gave it to you before she left. Now that you're awake, you'll start getting head aches for a couple of days until you're alright. Sirius and James were the same but they're easing off now."

Sirius nodded, "She only gives you it after you've woken up. I tried to refuse 'cause I read about that potion years ago and I really don't want to be telling people how I really feel. But she forced me. Alas, what a vicious wench." He bemoaned.

"He's only saying that 'cause he told her he liked how _feisty_ she is." James snickered, "Asked her if she purred like the lioness she so resembles."

Remus was grinning, "You shouldn't laugh! Should have seen him, Reg, going on and on to your grandfather about the _lovely lady Lily_ and her _voluptuous-"_

"Remus!" James hissed, flushing. "We swore we would never-"

"How does it work?" Regulus asked cautiously, though he was amused despite himself. He could just imagine Grandfather's displeased expression and Madam Pomfrey's spluttering anger.

Sirius who was still pink in the face, breathed out and turned to Regulus, "It doesn't _make_ you tell the truth. Well, no, it _does._ If I were to ask you something you'd respond like you were under Veritaserum. But unless you're asked, you'll just be more likely to tell people things that you otherwise wouldn't."

"H-How long will it last?" Regulus breathed.

"Depends on how fast your metabolism is." Remus grimaced, "Sirius and James are both still feeling the effects but they're not as bad as they were the first day. It's been slowly easing off and at the rate it's going, they've probably got another day or two of this."

Regulus blanched, "But if I've just taken it.. five days will include the day of the family dinner!"

"Oh, she told you about that? Thought she might. Fiery witch that she-" Sirius clenched his jaw and swallowed, "Well, _anyway,_ the dinner isn't an issue. By then, you'll mostly be back to normal."

"Thing is," James started, "-you're a tiny thing. I don't know how quickly it'll last in your system. How do you usually react to potions?"

Sirius snorted, "He used to be on potions for years as a child because of Walburga's shitty parenting. He's used to knocking them back."

"So you'll probably process it fairly quickly." Remus hummed, "Same rate as these two, probably."

"Let's hope I don't spill anything important. I hope I don't mention anything about the Horcruxes." Regulus whispered before his eyes widened, "Did we-"

"We did." Sirius grinned, "Got all of them now, puppy!"

"Just need to light the fuckers up." James grinned.

Remus snorted, "If Sirius doesn't get murdered by Madam Pomfrey first."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "She only just gave me my wand back. I can't practice yet, but the last time I did I could control it for the most part. Couple of weeks and I'll probably have it down." Sirius smirked.

"Wait, what about the full moon?" Regulus frowned worriedly, "Madam Pomfrey said that-"

"We can't join, yeah." James grimaced, "See, we aren't sure how Moony will feel about that. We're pack and, more so, you're his mate. He won't like being separated from you."

Remus looked grim, "It's true. When she said that you'd all be too weak to join me..."

"W-We'll just do it anyway!" Regulus insisted.

"No! No fucking way." Sirius hissed. "You almost died!"

"So?" Regulus said, tone pitching. "I can't just leave Remus!"

"You can and you _will."_ Remus scowled at him, "I won't have you risking yourself. You're all house-bound too. No flying, no leaving the grounds. You're all too fragile at the moment. You could have all died! For me, please, Reg. That goes for you idiots too. Please, take care of yourselves. I- I can't-" Remus cut himself off, staring down at his hands with a trembling lip.

"Moony." James murmured, "We get it. We'll be good. No stupid stunts."

Regulus looked sadly at his boyfriend, "Okay, love." He pulled Remus' hand to his lips and kissed the tips of his fingers softly. "I'm sorry."

Remus still looked contrite but nodded, "Thank you."

The other two piped up their own affirmations which caused Remus to relax further. 

"Anyway," Sirius began, "Grandfather said that for this full moon you can run around the forest."

"But my parents-" Remus started tiredly.

"Will have no say! You're an adult now, Moony." Sirius said with a frown.

Regulus snickered, "Siri, not everyone hates their parents and tries to disrespect them as often as they can."

"Must be nice." Sirius grumbled.

James laughed, "You should do it though, Rem. Imagine if Walbitcha Black just so happened to wander onto the property..."

Sirius' eyes lit up, "Oh, please, Moony! Please, please, _please!"_

"I am not going to savagely rip your mother apart." Remus said with a roll of his eyes, before he grinned. "She'd taste foul."

Regulus giggled, pressing the blanket against his face. A part of him would always want to defend his mother, no matter how tiny that part was. But he couldn't help but find it funny. Ironic, perhaps, that Walburga Black a known creature hater would meet her demise due to a werewolf.

"She'd get stuck in your teeth." Regulus tutted.

Remus grinned toothily, "Don't much fancy picking bigoted old hag out of my gums."

Snickering, James laid his feet up on the bed, ignoring Regulus' huff. "I can't wait for this family dinner. The guests will adore my charm and wit, I am certain!" He said with a solemn nod.

Sirius rolled his eyes and smacked at his legs, "Get off. Reggie's still recovering. As for your charm and wit, we'd need to find it first."

"Unlock." James scowled, _"Unlock!_ It's hidden away from you imbeciles. None of you appreciate me. Except my little hussy, Reggie." He winked lewdly.

"I kiss you _one_ time and now I'm a hussy." Regulus huffed.

Gagging, Sirius cringed away from James, "The thought of you two in a relationship makes me ill."

"Same." Remus said, staring at James pointedly.

James threw his head back and laughed, "The world wouldn't _survive."_

Sending one last glare at James, Remus turned back to Regulus. "How about, to salvage your reputation, you kiss your darling boyfriend who has wept by your bedside for many moons." Remus said with a grin.

Regulus narrowed his eyes and sniffed, "Well I suppose. I _have_ been eyeing your mouth up for a reason, you know. And it is not to observe the state of your dental hygiene." He snapped before he flushed. "Bloody-" His grumbling was cut off by Remus softly kissing him. Regulus' heart fluttered and he tilted his head up to respond in kind, trying not to seem _too_ eager.

The worry was for naught as Remus was zealous enough for the both of them. His long fingers tangled in Regulus' hair and Regulus squeaked when Remus hungrily licked into his mouth. With his eyes having fallen closed, he happily returned the kiss, cupping Remus' face and whining softly as Remus tugged on his hair. Remus pulled back to fervently kiss at his mouth, soft close mouthed pecks on his lips as he mumbled breathlessly.

"Beautiful." Remus whispered, "Missed you, so much." He mouthed almost inaudibly and Regulus sniffled at the pure love and devotion from Remus' end of the bond. Regulus' face was flushed pleasantly as Remus reverently cupped his face and pressed a lasting kiss to his lips that caused Regulus' breath to hitch.

There was silence as they parted, dazedly staring into each other's eyes with shy smiles and giggles. "Well, you certainly missed me." Regulus murmured.

"Certainly. I _need_ you." He murmured before quirking his lip, "And who else will discuss why, although Sisyphus was a murderer and generally not a great guy, that he-"

"Deserved to be commended for his cunning! Yes! A Slytherin to the core, I believe." Regulus said with a hum, "I mean, cheating death is one thing, but to do it twice over?"

"He was certainly very clever. Though, I suppose he got what was coming to him in the end. If a bit extreme."

"Not as bad as Prometheus, I think." Regulus said. "Eternally having your liver eaten by an eagle? Not fun."

"Or Tantalus. Could you imagine?" Remus said grimly.

Grimacing, Regulus nodded, "Insatiable hunger is certainly an awful punishment." Remus looked apologetic and Regulus smiled slightly, "Although, how about Marsyas?" He added, to change the subject and hopefully get that sad puppy look off of Remus' face.

Remus laughed, "He was a _fool_ for challenging _Apollo_ to a _music_ contest. It's like Arachne saying she's better than Athena at weaving. To be fair, being flayed alive or turned into a spider is a little harsh for being boastful."

"Agree, but the Gods were petty and vengeful even on a good day. Could you imagine if the Greek Gods were around now?" Regulus snickered, "Voldemort would have been squashed like a little bug."

"Oh Merlin, is this _foreplay?"_ James whispered, "I think this is foreplay. Should we leave?"

"If it is, I'm staying right here." Sirius scowled, "No deflowering Regulus!" He said, sternly waggling a finger at Remus. "It's a good thing I closed my eyes when you started snogging, I'm sure I heard tongue." He gagged.

James laughed, "You heard him, no deflowering the ickle baby. He's still injured." James winked exaggeratedly. "You'll have to wait until he's better."

Regulus flushed, "Idiots. And you, Sirius, shut up. Nobody shall be d- _deflowering_ me. Stop _saying_ that!"

"I should hope not." Sirius sniffed, "Else I'll have to castrate Moony."

Remus blinked, "Let's _not_ castrate Moony. Please."

"Exactly. I'll need those parts at some point." Regulus said before he froze. Burying his face in his hands, Regulus whined, "Someone turn me into a spider so I can run away."

Remus snickered, "We could always run away to our own little castle."

"You'd be my Dracula?" Regulus snickered. 

With a wrinkled nose, Remus scoffed. "I hated that book. Clunky and _utterly_ boring. That whole part where the sister was being turned was so dull. Every letter was just, yes, she's _still_ dying. What a drag." 

"It's not _too_ bad. I liked the bits at the end." Regulus hummed, "It's always hit or miss with the classics, I find."

"Some of them are just far too long and descriptive. I do not need a three page essay on the way someone's hair is blowing in the wind." Remus rolled his eyes.

"Oh. You wouldn't write tales of my beauty?" Regulus asked with a pout.

Remus leered down at him, "Most definitely, my dear." Remus cleared his throat, "I would spin silk to weave a tapestry depicting the lustre of your ebony locks and the divinity within your gaze-"

"Godric, this _is_ foreplay." James choked.

Sirius looked torn between mortified and horrified.

"James-" Sirius croaked, "Catch me for I may faint."

"Nah." James sniffed, "You're too heavy."

"Oi!"

"And you stink. Haven't showered in days, have you?"

"I've been worried over my ickle baby brother!"

"That's no excuse." James raised his nose.

"Are you hearing this you two- Oi, _oi!_ Stop _snogging!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah.. just some fluff for you all! Enjoy it while it lasts! ;)
> 
> I do love writing the pack being silly - but worry not, angst lovers! The story must progress and next up is the Black family dinner! I am... very excited! Hope you all enjoyed this one - I know not much happened, but I needed to round off the Horcrux hunt's bad ending with a nice, light-hearted chapter! 
> 
> Besides, there's more darkness to come! <3 Tell me your thoughts my dears!
> 
> I may have to take a break for a day or two - I'm not sure yet! Just to catch up on updates!! I've been writing my uni assignments for the past few days and so I haven't had much time to update and I don't want to make the chapters shorter or ruin the quality of them just to have something to post. I hope that's not an issue!! Have this slightly fluffy chapter in the mean time!


	35. The Deliverance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black Family get together, the concept of children are foreign to Sirius, and Regulus gets something off his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for anxiety, mentioned child abuse and random mentions of violence (cmon, Cassie is in this chapter, you know the drill)!
> 
> P.S: Sorry for the delay! I've been really stressed and anxious this week :( I still don't feel great but!! Here we are!

Regulus was terrified.

His whole body was shaking as he ran a hand through his hair, staring into his reflection in the mirror hanging outside of the parlour. With bloodshot eyes and a trembling lip, he turned away from the mirror with a weak sob.

Things had been pretty good following his 'awakening' as James had dubbed it. They had all had a lot of fun talking and carefully combing over the details of the mission. They had all agreed that they were just lucky to be alive, really. 

As they neared the day of the family dinner, things took a turn.

Sirius became much more closed off. His face would stay in a neutral mask - sometimes for so long that Regulus had thought it would be permanently stuck that way. James became a lot more jittery. His body couldn't seem to sit still and he was making jokes or desperately trying to distract himself in any way he could which usually ended up with him pulling a prank on someone. Usually his target would be Sirius which would make him even more irate.

Remus had been quiet. Much more quiet than usual. Regulus would sometimes wander into the library and find him anxiously gnawing at his lip and staring off into space. Sometimes he'd seem to be reading, but then Regulus would realise that he hadn't turned the page in at least fifteen minutes - sometimes longer - and he'd sigh.

As for Regulus, he had just become much more anxious. They all were, but while James masked it with bad jokes or Sirius masked it by completely cloaking his emotions, Regulus just let it happen.

He had tried for years (he had always been an anxious child) to mask his anxieties. It had become his coping mechanism. It wasn't until he had a nice conversation with Madam Pomfrey over tea in the hospital wing one day that he had learned more _effective_ ways to help himself cope. 

Cloaking his feelings didn't _help._ He had to allow himself to feel that way - it was natural. He was responding in kind to a stressful situation. She had reiterated multiple times that there was _nothing to be ashamed of_ and _sometimes it really did help to just let go and have a good cry_. 

So, that's what he did.

Regulus pressed his hands against his cheeks as he wept. He was terrified of his family on a good day, but he had gotten much better throughout the years at handling them. The last family dinner, he had been so distracted by the Horcrux, Sirius and Voldemort's summons that he hadn't really had the time to panic.

However, now that the Horcrux hunt was over, he felt oddly empty. It was as if his purpose had suddenly been removed.

Remus had shown him 'video games' and talked about 'arcades' once. It had been odd, really. Upon reflection, for almost his whole life he had felt like one of those little playable characters that you could direct around. He could almost imagine Mother with one of those little joysticks, making Regulus turn this way and that. Puppeteering him for her own amusement.

However, now it was like he had nobody controlling him. His mission had been to collect the Horcruxes and now he was sorely lacking for things to do. Yes, he still had to defeat Voldemort. But now that there was no school to distract him either, he just felt like he was living the same day on repeat.

It also didn't help that he was still healing and the pack were all trying to recover from their near death experience.

Regulus had mentioned this to Sirius and his brother had rudely snapped at him that he should be _thankful_ for the reprieve. He hadn't even apologised and had just stormed off to pout somewhere or perhaps blow things up.

Sirius had gotten much better with handling his emotions in recent months, but if there was anything that could regress him back to being a surly, angsty pre-teen, it was Walburga Black.

Her impending arrival was what had truly soured the family meal for everyone. They'd all happily ignored that she would be there until Grandfather had mentioned her sending a letter to ensure he knew of her attendance, as was custom just in case anybody couldn't make it.

When he had said this, Regulus had seen the shift. James had begun fidgeting, Remus had frozen in place and Sirius' walls had come up. Regulus himself had felt his knees weaken, his heart race and his palms sweat.

James - out of all of them - was certainly the least nervous. At least, for himself. But he was certainly worried for the rest of his pack. Regulus was terrified of what Walburga may do. He hadn't forgotten her threats from the last dinner and he knew time was running out, she would have to make her move soon. Remus was understandably nervous, he had a whole family of bigots to impress. Bigots that would scrutinise him heavily and Regulus had loaded Remus with his own information as well as books on the topics of pureblood etiquette and mannerisms. Just so he would understand the basics like the seating hierarchy.

For Sirius, well. Walburga Black was the sole reason that Sirius was so damaged. It was also why Regulus was a complete mess at the thought of seeing her again.

That was another thing Madam Pomfrey had been carefully discussing with him over the past few days. She had gently asked about it as now that they were no longer in Hogwarts he was technically not her student at the moment, she had no obligation to report anything but her healer oaths meant everything he said would remain confidential.

Regulus had quietly confirmed her suspicions, going into detail about the punishments and the awful words she would throw at them both.

Madam Pomfrey had twisted her lips and he had seen her hand twitch towards her wand. She truly had become a source of comfort to him and at one point he had thrown himself into her arms and sniffled onto her shoulder. She had patted his head and stayed with him that night, combing his hair and soothing him.

She had also begun using specific terms. For example, she said he should stop referring to Walburga Black as _Mother_ and if he should ever need to address her in terms to what she did to him and his brother, he should call her his abuser. As that was what she was. She was his _abuser._ She had abused him heavily and it was time Regulus understood that and worked through his trauma.

He had initially tried to protest. She hadn't been great but she was still his mother. But when she began gently asking him about the kinds of things she would do, he saw just how wrong it was. Madam Pomfrey had asked how her actions and words made him feel and would he do the same to his own children. It had sickened him. Thinking of his own child being treated the way his wrong had made him feel ill and Madam Pomfrey had just given him a pointed look to make him relent.

The Matron had been ecstatic, tearing up with joy when he had asked her for recommendations for a mind healer. The man that she had suggested had supposedly been very good for her personally as she had been a healer on the frontlines of the war with Grindelwald. Apparently the resulting PTSD and major anxiety had almost taken her completely but her healer friend had worked with her, carefully easing her into a good routine with a much healthier mindset.

Regulus had spoken with Grandfather but had not yet mentioned it to his pack. He had made an appointment for a few weeks away and he would have to mention it before then. He knew they'd be upset if he kept it from them but he wanted to wait until dinner was over with. 

Sirius would probably appreciate being given the chance to go as well and although for his initial appointment he was determined to go alone, Madam Pomfrey had suggested that he and Sirius _could_ do therapy together. It may also help them properly work through the issues of their childhood and the almost unhealthy attachment they had to each other.

Regulus already knew Sirius would take offence to that term and when he had said as much to the Matron, she had just pointedly raised her eyebrow.

Sniffling, Regulus wiped at his eyes and he frowned into the mirror. It was finally the day of the family meal and he was overcome with the urge to cry. Usually, he would have immediately downed a calming draught or shut himself down in the way Sirius had. But he _knew better_ now.

He was _stronger._

Regulus knew crying was not a weakness. Not in the way Walburga Black - _his abuser_ \- had claimed. Had desperately tried to teach him by caning his knuckles and backhanding him if he dared even sniffle.

 _Blacks do not cry, you shame this whole family when you let even a single tear fall_.

"You can do this." He whispered, looking upon his visage sadly. With a determination coursing through his veins, he straightened. "You can f-fucking do this. You are Regulus Arcturus Black. She is nobody. She does not deserve your tears."

"I agree whole-heartedly." A warm voice said from behind him.

Regulus whirled around on one foot, mouth agape. He stared at the person before him with utter shock. He hadn't heard her voice in so long. His mouth bobbed as he took her in for the first time in years.

Soft brown hair, deep blue eyes that were reminiscent of a warm summers day at the beach and a gentle smile tugging at her lips. Regulus gaped at her. If it were not for the lighter hair and kind words, he would have mistaken her for her sister. Truly, their resemblance was a little frightening. But her wide, kind eyes were warm in a way her sister's had never been.

"Hello, little Cousin. I have missed you so very much." She breathed, hands coming up to clutch at her chest.

Regulus choked, his eyes burning again. "A-Andromeda?"

She tilted her head, giving a new warmth to her smile. "Hello, dearest."

"I- I-" Regulus looked around wildly, "Y-You can't be here! It's - the Black family dinner is today you-" He reached forward to guide her to the floo or perhaps the front door, "We can't let anyone see you. I- I don't even know how you got in!" Really, how had she managed that? Andromeda had always been a crafty girl, but breaking into Black Manor was impossible.

"That would be because Lord Black so kindly allowed me entry." She hummed amusedly, tugging his hand and pulling him to a stop. Regulus stared and she laughed. Regulus' heart raced. That _laugh,_ so open and free. Andromeda had always been so restrained within herself when she was a member of the family but her laugh had always been so beautiful. She had always allowed herself to laugh with naught a care in the world and he had admired her greatly when she ran away. As much as he missed her, he knew it was what she needed to be happy.

"You..." Regulus' eyes widened. _"You're_ the surprise!"

"I suppose." Andromeda mused, "Am I a very good one?" She teased.

Regulus let go, freely throwing his arms around her and crying happy tears onto her robes. She let out a gentle coo and held him closely against her. In her heels, she was tall enough that his head could lay comfortably on her chest. He knew if she stepped out of them she'd still have at least two inches on him in height, but it wouldn't be as noticeable.

She had the same tall, willowy build that Bellatrix had. Narcissa did too but she was curvier, she had much more Rosier in her than she did Black as was plain to see by the fairness of her hair. Andromeda had always looked scarily like Bellatrix. It was something they all used to laugh at as they were the only ones of the five cousins that looked so similar. They had sometimes pretended to be each other, but they'd never been able to fool people for too long. Their personalities were just so opposing in some ways that the truth always came out.

Sirius and Regulus had too much of a difference in them physically to look as identical as they probably would have been had Walburga taken proper care of her children. As for Narcissa, she was always going to stand out with her blonde hair. Sirius, Regulus and Bellatrix all had the classic Black hair, thick and ebony in colour. 

Seeing Andromeda again made him _ache_ for those times. For the times when he and Narcissa would giggle together and discuss poetry while Bellatrix and Sirius ran around playing and Andromeda watched them all closely like a worried mother. Sometimes they'd have days where they mixed and he could even remember fondly the time when he and Bellatrix had painted in the gardens. Bellatrix had always liked art and Andromeda had once said it was a good way for Bellatrix to express herself.

Of course, now the only painting Bella did was when she stained the ground with the blood of her victims.

That thought soured the memories he had been remembering upon seeing his cousin. Once so beloved to them all but in recent years had become a faint memory.

Even though he had kept in contact with letters, they had been few and far between. Both of them aware what would happen to Regulus if he had been caught by Walburga, so they had needed to be careful.

"You're the best surprise I could have gotten." He whispered hoarsely. 

She giggled, pulling back to press her petal soft lips against his cheek. "Oh how I have missed you, baby bird."

Regulus flushed. She'd _always_ babied him. Perhaps it was the age difference or maybe the fact that he had always been so small in comparison to them all. It was the way she was with Narcissa and to a lesser extent, Sirius. Andromeda had always been such a maternal figure for them all and had she been a little older, he likely would have seen her as his mother. Sirius had always whined whenever anyone babied him and Narcissa used to get fed up, but Regulus had revelled in it.

Baby bird was a nickname that she'd called him upon pointing out the way he used to flap his hands whenever he got excited. She had said it made even more sense upon seeing him fly, soaring through the sky like a baby bird that had just learned how to use it's wings.

"I missed you so much, 'Dromeda." He whispered, reverently taking her in. "You look... happy."

She smiled, "I am happy."

He could tell. Her cheeks were full with life and there was an ease with which she smiled that told of how often she did it. No longer did she need to hold back and her smiles were open and friendly. The blue of her eyes was somehow brighter too and he delighted in the way the wrinkles around her eyes made her look that much kinder. She must smile so often to have gotten those lines.

Regulus blinked as her eyes turned mischievous, "I have another surprise, I suppose." She quirked her lips.

"You look far too much like Siri." He murmured uneasily.

Andromeda laughed, "Oh, hush. Come along, darling." She called.

Regulus looked around confusedly, wondering if perhaps in her absence Andromeda had lost her mind. He had been wandering the halls aimlessly, up far earlier than he should have been. Though, he wasn't quite sure what time it was as he assumed he'd been crying for a while and before that he had been completely lost in his thoughts.

A soft scuffling could be heard before a tiny thing bolted around the corner. It had bright pink hair and Regulus stared down at it as it approached like a pink bludger, throwing itself at Andromeda. 

"Mummy!" It called and Regulus blinked. _She._ It was a _she._

She... she had called Andromeda...

"Mummy, was I good? I did it, right?" The little girl with pink hair asked. She was dressed in fine yellow robes and Regulus refrained from boasting that he could tell they were Twilfitt robes. Madam Twilfitt must be taking orders from Andromeda privately as if it were known the the disowned daughter of House Black were buying from her, she'd be in ruins.

Well, not quite. No purebloods would dare buy from Madam Malkin instead of Twilfitt (truly, the difference in quality was that great) but there would certainly be some heads spinning if people knew.

Andromeda chuckled, picking the little girl up and spinning her happily. "You did brilliantly, Nymphadora."

The little girl's face screwed up and her hair went bright red. "Don't call me that, Mum! It's silly!"

Andromeda looked tired as she said, "It is _not._ It's your name!"

"A _silly_ name!" She said, sticking her tongue out. The girl turned to Regulus and her eyes widened. She screwed her face up and her hair turned the same shade of black and the curly texture that sat atop his head was mirrored on her longer hair. "You're pretty!" She gasped, leaning closer and he noticed her eyes suddenly went the same shade of silver.

Regulus gaped. "A-Andromeda?"

"Regulus, this is my daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. Dora, love, this is my cousin Regulus Black." She looked sad, "I-I'm so sorry I did not.. I didn't want to risk-"

"No! Andromeda - of course, I get it." He assured her, "Walburga or more likely Bellatrix would have done something had she known. You were right not to tell anyone within the family."

Andromeda looked sad, "I haven't even told Narcissa."

"You still speak?" He said as if he didn't know.

She smiled knowingly and nodded, "Occasionally. Nowhere near as often as I'd like and only ever through letters. I've wanted to meet with her or you but I fell pregnant with Dora shortly after I left the family and I.. I would never risk her." She said with a stubborn set to her jaw.

Regulus smiled lovingly, "I always knew you would be a good mother." He mused, turning his attention to the little girl who was following their conversation with wide eyes. She still had his features and he grinned, "Don't you look beautiful?" He boasted.

The little girl giggled, cheeks flushing and she wriggled out of Andromeda's arms to stand in front of Regulus who crouched to her height. "I'm Tonks!"

"Your name is _Nymphadora!"_

"Don't like that name!" She insisted, stamping her foot petulantly. The girl turned to Regulus with pursed lips, "Suppose you could call me Dora, though. I like your eyes. They're really pretty!"

Regulus smiled and patted her head, "I happen to agree. I also agree that your name _is_ silly." He turned to Andromeda, "Really, 'Dromeda? _Nymphadora?"_ He said incredulously.

"My middle name's stupid too! It's Vulpecula." She said, carefully sounding the word out.

"Gift of Nymphs, little fox, Tonks?" Regulus said, turning back to Andromeda. "Seriously, do you need a brain examination?"

Andromeda batted her hand at him, "Shut _up!"_

"Woah!" A voice called from down the hallway, "Uh- Reg?"

Regulus' face flared with heat. He hadn't told Andromeda about Remus. His cousin's eyes narrowed and her eyebrow slowly raised as Remus made his way down the hallway towards them.

"Um, hello. Sorry to-" Remus stared at Andromeda for a moment before shaking his head, "You must be Andromeda." He said with a genial smile and Regulus chose to ignore the way his eyes had flashed originally, clearly mistaking her for her psychotic sister.

Andromeda smiled pleasantly, clearly used to that little issue. "Yes, I am. I apologise, Regulus has not seen it fit to introduce us." She said with a tight smile at him.

Regulus cringed away from the look and pasted a smile on his face, "This is Andromeda Tonks, yes. My cousin. Andy, this is Remus Lupin my..." He swallowed, "My boyfriend."

Her eyes turned sharp and she slowly turned her head towards Remus. "Boyfriend, hm?" She asked casually. "My baby bird has a boyfriend now?"

Regulus sighed, "Andy, he's already had the talk from Siri and then from Grandfather, please-"

"No, no talk." Andromeda hummed, drawing her wand subtly to poke the head out of her sleeve. "My daughter is here, you see. So I would not ever wish to risk her safety. But let it be known that if you ever do my baby cousin wrong, I will become the thing out of your nightmares. You won't be able to close your eyes without seeing my face and the mere thought of what I will do to you will be your undoing. Are we clear?"

Remus had paled considerably, pulling back slightly. "Certainly." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat, "I love Regulus, s-so no need to worry there."

"Hm." She hummed, "We shall see."

Remus suddenly blinked down at the little girl by Regulus and his eyes lit up. "You look so much like Regulus!"

Nymphadora's eyes narrowed before her nose wrinkled and her eyes turned amber. "You have pretty eyes, too!" Her eyes turned back to Regulus' silver shade. "Sorry, I like his more, though." She blushed slightly.

"Oh." Remus breathed. "You're a metamorphmagus!" 

"Uh-huh!" She beamed, "Mummy says I'm special. 'Cause I can do this!" She screwed her face up and she began to copy Remus' facial features, looking like a tiny female version of his boyfriend but with Regulus' eyes. Her hair had also changed, turning a soft sandy brown but certainly keeping Regulus' curl pattern.

Regulus' heart stuttered, "Oh." He whispered. She looked exactly like a perfect mixture of him and his boyfriend. Remus' eyes widened too and he looked down at Dora with such fondness it made Regulus ache to see him with a child ( _their child_ ) in his arms.

Remus would be such a good father, he was certain.

"What the bloody hell!" Sirius cried, storming down the hallway with James in tow who was trying to flatten his hair. "Wh-What! Did you knock Reggie up or something?" He asked, cutting a glare towards Remus.

"How would that even-" Regulus scrunched his nose, "You are such an idiot, Siri."

"What's this then!" He cried, waving a hand at Dora who looked slightly alarmed. "It's cute or whatever but seriously what the fuck-"

"I would ask that you do not curse around my daughter or so help me Merlin I'll hex you bald." Andromeda hissed.

Sirius blinked, startled as he took in Andromeda's form. "A-Andy?" He asked. "You- Why are you here? You have to leave, the family-"

"I know." She said patiently, "I had hoped we would be in a parlour of some sort for this. Perhaps the dinner table. I hadn't expected to run into Regulus on my way to wait for you all."

"W-Wait for us?" Sirius mouthed, "Wait, hang on, are _you_ the thing Grandfather has kept hidden from us?"

"Mum's not a thing!" Dora cried indignantly. "Don't be mean!"

"Sirius is an idiot, don't worry about him." James snickered.

"Don't be mean to your friend! Mummy says that's bad." Dora said, nodding soundly.

Sirius stared down at the child with a confused look, "Why is it talking to me?"

Andromeda smacked the back of Sirius' head, "Dora, don't do what Mummy did, okay?" When Dora nodded, Andromeda glared at Sirius. "Why is it that you see a child and act like they are a foreign species."

"I'm not good with kids!" Sirius whined.

Andromeda rolled her eyes, "How you managed to raise Regulus so well, I'll never know." She murmured.

"I did do a pretty good job, eh?" Sirius said proudly, wrapping his arm around Regulus who was surprised to see Sirius so easy-going at the moment considering the guests would be arriving soon.

"You did." Andromeda nodded, "This is my daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. Ted is actually waiting in the parlour, I had business with Lord Black and I fear he will begin prodding around the old paintings if I do not return to him soon. He has the attention span of a Snidget." She huffed before turning to James, "I'm sorry, we haven't met. I'm Andromeda Tonks."

James extended a hand, "James Potter, at your service." He grinned, "I've heard a lot about you. I'm Sirius' best mate but sometimes I'm Reggie's too."

Andromeda's eyes widened and she turned to Regulus, "I thought you hated him?"

"Such subtlety." James murmured. "Imagine if I hadn't known that. I'd be right offended." He snorted.

Remus snickered, "As if your big head knows _how_ to be offended in the first place. You'd probably say he hated you because he was jealous of your Quidditch skills or something."

"Ah, but he _is!"_ James said sagely, "I'm wicked on a broom and little darling Reggie just can't-"

"I still do." Regulus interrupted, focusing on Andromeda. "He's an utter nuisance."

James pouted. "Mean." He said before his eyes widened. "Wait, it looks so much like Remus!" He said, pointing at Dora.

"Do not point at my daughter." Andromeda huffed. "And will you all stop calling her an 'it'!"

"I'm a she! Not an it!" Dora insisted with a nod. 

"Sorry. Not good with kids unless I'm hexing-" He cleared his throat and turned back to the little girl. James stared for a moment with a baffled look, "Wait a minute. You've got Reggie's eyes! How come she looks so much like them both?"

Dora screwed her face up, her hair turning much messier and going a glossy black. "I'm a metamorphmagus!" She said, chin raised. "It's cool!"

"Oh Merlin." James breathed. "I so envy you right now."

Sirius was gaping, "Wait, Andy, you have a kid? _Why?"_

"Because I wanted one." Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"That's wicked!" James beamed, dropping to crouch before her. "Do you have to register like when you're an Animagus?" He asked curiously.

Dora wrinkled her nose in confusion and Andromeda answered for her, "No. Well, yes, she would have to be. But it is not a requirement until she is of age. Besides, registering her won't do much good. She could always change her form and nobody would know who she was."

Sensing some form of compliment, Dora's hair turned bubble gum pink and she grinned. "Yeah!"

Sirius blinked, "Not much good if you can't control it."

The little girl scowled and kicked his shin. "Nasty!"

"Nymphadora!" Andromeda scolded, "We do not kick people! Even if they're being impolite." She said with a stern glare at Sirius who cowered slightly.

"Still just as scary as ever, 'Dromeda!"

"Right?" Remus snorted, "Scared me much more than you did when she gave me the talk."

Sirius flicked his gaze between them before huffing, "I'll just have to step my game up and give it to you again."

"You've given me the 'shovel talk' _twice_ by now!" Remus moaned.

"Once more won't kill you."

"Even Madam Pomfrey gave me the talk!"

Regulus gasped, "She did?"

James snickered, "Everyone loves you, Reggie. Even Kreacher appeared one night in our dorms and-" His eyes widened, "Wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"What?" Regulus whispered, ignoring the pleased flush that threatened to overcome him.

"I feel like I should be offended." Remus hummed, "But I get it. You're too precious, my love." Remus winked, linking their hands together.

Regulus blushed when Remus leaned in to kiss him on his cheek. "Stop." He mumbled abashedly.

"You two are cute!" Dora said, "You're like those people from the stories Daddy always reads to me. Um-" She scrunched her face up in thought, "Like Cinderella and her Prince!"

"I think perhaps Beauty and the Beast would be much more apt." Andromeda said astutely, ignoring the shocked gazes of the group. She smiled viciously, "No prejudice here, don't fret. Though I certainly know how I'll enact my vengeance should you hurt my little cousin. A nice milkshake of Aconite, I think."

Remus swallowed turning to Sirius, _"So_ much scarier than you."

Sirius blinked, "I'm not even offended. I've seen Andy when she's pissed. Great Aunt Lycoris was never the same." He mused.

Andromeda sniffed, "That foul old _hag_ got what was coming to her for saying what she said to Cissa. And you will too if you keep cussing around my daughter!" She hissed, sending a pinching hex that Sirius flinched away from.

"Ouch! Andy!" He whined.

Regulus marvelled at the change in Sirius and he could see James was silently doing the same. For days he'd been sullen and quick to anger, storming off and if anyone so much as hinted at the upcoming events and the guests his expression would shutter and he'd suddenly disappear for hours.

"So, you're back in the family?" Regulus said to change the subject. He couldn't get too distracted, the main point was that Andromeda was now here in Black Manor. She had been invited by Lord Black himself and was clearly in good form. He also hadn't overlooked the state of her robes and her daughter's too, they were both perfectly tailored and he hadn't missed the Black crest on them either.

"I am." She said with a little smile.

Sirius gaped, "You're _back?"_ He asked.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow, "Yes. As I just said. Did you not do the same?"

"Well, yes. But I was never formally disowned. You were." Sirius pointed out. "Did Grandfather..."

"He informed me of the events of the last meal, yes." She said with a sour look, "Let us continue this conversation in the parlour." 

Elegantly, she twirled in the direction of the parlour and set off with the same determined yet casual stride all Blacks had. Her robes were the same soft grape shade that she had always favoured and he assumed her daughter's must have been yellow for Mr Tonks. It would have been more appropriate for Nymphadora to wear a similar shade to her mother but he supposed with her ever changing hair that continued to flash pink every so often, the colours would clash.

A metamorphmagus in the family.. one with a muggleborn father. Oh how the pureblood bigots would lose their heads.

The parlour door was ajar and she tutted as she glided inside the room. "Ted!" She hissed and Regulus saw a man hurriedly pull away from a portrait that he had been pulling silly faces at. 

"Daddy!" Nymphadora squealed, rushing to her father. "We saw Mum's uh- I don't know what he is to us but he's old." She said loudly.

Andromeda placed a hand on her forehead and took in a breath before exhaling softly, "Merlin, give me strength."

"Merlin can't help you now." Sirius snickered, "Can't _believe_ you got knocked up and didn't tell me! Andy! How could you!"

"Oh yes, I forgot." Andromeda murmured, "The world revolves around Sirius Black, I apologise for my oversight." She said snidely.

Sirius only grinned unrepentantly, "As you should!"

"'Meda? Want to introduce me?" The man said as he held his daughter, looking slightly wary at the four boys.

Regulus appraised him silently. That was a good reaction. Even the saner Blacks were still likely to pull a wand on you for breathing wrongly near them and he was clearly very fond of his wife and daughter. _As he should be._ He certainly had never seen a Black lift their child in the way Andromeda and her husband had. Plus, Nymphadora was clearly very well fed and the fact that she hadn't yet flinched away from either of her parents gave him hope.

He had wondered if perhaps it was in their blood to just be awful with children. Regulus himself had never had the opportunity as the younger years had generally always stayed away from the Slytherin Black brother. However he had also heard of Sirius' bullying and his cruel pranks which sometimes extended to the younger years, so he had written their family off as being cursed to be awful with children.

But seeing Andromeda, cheeks flushed with happiness and her little girl's beaming face made his heart warm.

"Everyone, this is my husband Edward Tonks. We were in school together, of course, and he is the reason I left the Blacks behind." She said with a small smile, "I haven't had reason to regret my decision yet." She hummed.

 _"Yet."_ Ted murmured, _"Lovely."_

"This is my cousin, Sirius and his younger brother, Regulus. This is James Potter, Sirius' best friend and Remus Lupin, Regulus'-" She paused, "Boyfriend. Apparently."

Regulus grimaced. He sent an apologetic look to Andromeda, "I'm sorry, I didn't mention it. I should have. I was just so distracted and-"

Andromeda raised a hand with a gentle smile, "It is perfectly understandable, Regulus." She said with a glance towards her daughter. Regulus could guess that little Nymphadora was likely the source of those laugh lines around her eyes.

"Nice to meet you all!" Ted said with a much warmer smile on his face. It seemed the presence of a notoriously Light inclined Heir and someone who was clearly _not_ a pureblood had relaxed him. He must have also heard good things about the two Blacks in the room as he gave them both approving grins, "Ted Tonks! Edward's a bit long." He said as a greeting.

"Good to meet you, Ted." Regulus said, "I hope you're taking good care of 'Dromeda."

"I most certainly am." He said seriously before quirking his lips, "Not that she needs it though, eh?"

Sirius snorted, "Nah. Andy's always been like a lioness, 'specially when she's pi- mad." He said with a cautious glance at the little girl in the room.

"It's nice to meet you, Ted." Remus said with a smile.

"Ah! Nice to meet someone that's tied to a Black. They're a bit mental, yeah?" Ted said with a cheeky grin on his face, honey blonde hair swaying as he tilted his head with a lopsided grin.

Remus laughed, "They are. But we happen to love them for that." He directed a warm smile at Regulus who flushed and reached out to lace their fingers together. Damn Remus for being able to make him turn to complete jelly with just a kind word or soft smile.

"We do, don't we?" Ted said gently, looking at Andromeda and Regulus was pleased with that. This man clearly loved Andromeda very much and that was all he'd ever wanted for her.

"Hm." Remus hummed, pulling Regulus' hand to his lips to press a tender kiss on the back of his hand. Remus pulled him closer, tucking Regulus' smaller body into his side and grazed his lips against Regulus' ear, "You've been crying, darling. Are you okay?"

Regulus tilted his head up to kiss Remus' jaw, "I'm fine, love. Promise. Just emotional." He murmured and Remus nuzzled against him, nosing his cheek.

"Oh. You're _that_ kind of couple." Andromeda mused with a mirthful look on her face. "Never thought I'd see the day. You were always so contained, dear."

"Was he?" James snickered, "They've always been like this."

"Regulus has gotten much better at expressing himself." Sirius added.

Andromeda nodded slowly, "I can see that. You look... radiant." She said soundly. 

They all took their seats, Andromeda and Ted sandwiching little Nymphadora who seemed bored with the adult conversation while the pack all tried to squish together on the small sofa. Regulus huffed as James pulled him into his lap and Remus glared at him before turning to Andromeda.

"He most certainly is." Remus agreed wisely.

"I mean that," Andromeda began, "You look much more peaceful. I always hoped for the best for you all... I thought..."

"Walburga certainly tried her best." Regulus said, catching onto her look. "But I'm here now. I have my brothers and my boyfriend." He said, squeezing James hand that was around his midsection and smiling at Remus and Sirius in turn.

James squeezed his waist, "And we're not going anywhere! On Godric's grave, I swear it!" James huffed, leaning over Regulus' shoulder to kiss his cheek.

Regulus rolled his eyes fondly and lifted his legs sideways so that his legs were over Remus' lap. Andromeda's eyebrow raised, "You are certainly all very close."

"We're pack." Sirius said with an easy smile. Of the other three, only Andromeda seemed to realise the severity of this statement and she narrowed her eyes at Remus for a moment before nodding.

"Good. I'm very happy for you both. I had heard the news that you were back in the family and were it not for Lord Black's request to meet with me, I wouldn't have believed it."

"You and me both." He huffed, "If I'd have been told this time last year that this is where I'd be, I'd have called you a ruddy liar."

James hummed, "It was around this time last year you appeared on my doorstep."

"Ah yes." Regulus mused, "Back when I couldn't hear the word _Potter_ without wanting to hex someone."

"You love me now." James said assuredly.

"Don't be so certain." 

Nymphadora scrunched her face up, "Why are we here, Mummy?"

"We're being reintroduced to the family, Nymphadora." Andromeda replied, ignoring Nymphadora's hiss that she _hated_ that name. "If you ever find yourself alone with anyone except one of these boys, you are to scream and run away."

Nymphadora frowned, "'Cause Mummy's family is crazy, right?"

"Ted!" She hissed, "What have you been telling her?"

"The truth, from the sounds of it." Sirius snickered, crossing his ankles and lounging back against the chaise. He quirked a brow at Ted, "I like you already."

Ted threw his head back and laughed, reaching down to ruffle his daughter's hair. "I like you too, Sirius. 'Meda has told me a lot about you boys. And her sisters, but that's usually, uh, less pleasant." He grimaced slightly.

Gasping, Regulus straightened and pressed a hand to his mouth, "Cissa will be so happy that you're back!"

Andromeda's face softened but he could see the slight worry in her eyes, "I hope so. I've wanted so desperately... I missed her so much." She whispered.

"Is that why you don't like when I make my hair blonde?" Nymphadora asked astutely.

Andromeda blinked, "Darling, I don't mind-"

"Not true!" Nymphadora interrupted, "You always get sad when I look like more like you and have light hair."

"Is that why you started blending your features more?" Andromeda's eyes narrowed. "I've told you, don't overdo it! Your gift is-"

"I have to get better!" Nymphadora said, pretending to brandish a wand. "I'm gonna be an Auror!"

"Wicked." James grinned and Nymphadora turned to him with wide eyes, "You know, Sirius and I have been accepted into Auror training. We start in September."

"You _have?"_ The little girl gasped, hair cycling through various purple and pink shades. "That's so _cool!"_

Snorting, Sirius looked down at her amusedly, "You want to be an Auror? How do you even know about them?"

"I saw one! She was really pretty!" Nymphadora said, nodding rapidly and bouncing in place. Her eyes were still Regulus' silver shade but they were beginning to lighten into a soft pink in her excitement, "She took down this really nasty wizard!"

Remus grimaced, "Oh?" He cut his eyes towards her parents who frowned.

"We happened to be in muggle London during an _incident."_ Andromeda said slowly, "We were able to apparate away, of course. Though, not before I happened to see some _familiar_ faces."

Regulus knew all of the Death Eaters wore plain black robes and masks. But just like Regulus would be able to recognise Sirius anywhere, Andromeda had clearly recognised her sister. Bellatrix had definitely not seen Andromeda as she seemed to have taken Andromeda's running away as a personal insult. She had made it clear that if she ever saw her sister, she would cut her down.

If she had seen little Nymphadora...

"Yeah!" Nymphadora nodded, "There was lots of noise. But that pretty Auror did really well! She looked so cool! I want to do that!"

Ted grimaced, "We'll talk about that later, pet. You're still young. Plenty of time to change careers to something safer."

"No! Safe's boring." The girl pouted.

"I am inclined to agree." Grandfather said as he entered the parlour. "I am afraid, however, in these times safety is a luxury."

Nymphadora frowned but Andromeda placed a hand on her shoulder, "Lord Black." She greeted, dipping her head.

"You are family, Andromeda. No need for such formalities." He hummed, narrowing his eyes at Ted. "Edward, is it?"

"Y-Yes sir. My Lord Black, sir." Ted stuttered, eyes slightly wide. Hm, Regulus assumed that Grandfather must not have properly introduced himself to the Tonks'. He likely told Andromeda to go straight to his office or perhaps the study, it would be more comfortable for her and her daughter. And Regulus did not doubt that Grandfather would have known about Andromeda's child, he clearly had been keeping tabs on them all for years.

Grandfather hummed and turned to the four boys lounging on a small chaise, his eyebrow raised. "Will you four ever learn to exist separately?" He asked.

Sirius grinned, "We're like the wheels on a muggle car."

"Have to have four." James nodded sagely.

Regulus blinked and turned to Remus, "I've told you to stop telling them about muggle things. They still won't shut up about those- the um, park things."

"Theme parks. Or amusement parks." Remus nodded.

"Oh!" Ted exclaimed, looking excited. "You're going to one?"

"I was thinking Blackpool pleasure beach." Remus said conspiratorially. 

The muggleborn's eyes lit up, "It's brilliant there! I went years ago with my family and we took a holiday there a couple years back. Dora was too little to properly go on any of the rides, but-"

"I remember!" Nymphadora said with a smile, hair matching her father's dark blonde shade. "We went and picked seashells and painted them."

"You do remember." Andromeda said endearingly, patting her hair.

Grandfather's eyes softened as he looked at Nymphadora and it struck Regulus that, out of all of them, he was probably the best with children. "It is nice to see you again, little Nymphadora. Although, I do agree, that name is an interesting choice." He said, looking inquisitively at Andromeda.

"W-We, uh, we've already agreed if we have any more, I'm naming them." Ted said, slightly anxiously.

"Hm." Grandfather said with a slow nod, "I certainly hope so. Truly, Andromeda-"

"I get it." She huffed, " _I_ like it, though."

"You're my grandad, sort of, right?" Nymphadora asked, bouncing up and off of the sofa to stand near him. "You're not Mummy's dad. But Mummy's dad is silly, isn't he?"

"I am, I suppose. And yes, he is very silly." Grandfather nodded, "Best not to say that to him, however." His eyes turned to the rest of the room, "The guests shall be arriving soon."

Sirius grimaced but Regulus was pleased to note that his expression didn't darken too much. "Great." He muttered dryly.

Regulus reached out to pat his shoulder and James nudged him, "Cheer up, Pads. Old Wally won't do anything."

"She had better not." Andromeda said with a fierce glare.

"I shall ensure she behaves." Grandfather's voice was ominous and Regulus hoped Walburga wouldn't do anything. He had originally wanted her to be banished but if she were removed from the family, Grandfather would have limited control over her actions. "If she does not, I will handle it. Rest assured."

"Please do!" Nymphadora said, raising her chin. "Mummy always gets upset when I ask her about her family. Now that we're here, they can't do anything to make her cry again. Or I'll be really upset! And- And I'll kick someone like Daddy taught me when someone tries to grab me!"

Grandfather blinked slowly, nodding carefully. "Perhaps that wouldn't be the worst thing." He murmured, reaching down to pat the girl on the head, "You're a very ferocious little girl, aren't you?"

"Mummy says so! And Daddy says I'll be like him a um-" She scrunched her face up, "Hupluff?"

"Hufflepuff." Ted corrected with a smile, "And she will be! She's got all the makings of a badger!"

"Uh huh!" Nymphadora nodded, "Mummy says I wouldn't do good in her old house when I go to Hogwarts. She says I'd get in too many fights and I wouldn't like it there anyway."

Sirius snickered, "Too many fights? Sounds very Gryffindor, to me."

"No! I wanna be like Daddy!" She nodded, "Plus, Mummy says that her favourite Black was a _Hullf-Hufflepuff,_ too!"

Grandfather swallowed thickly, "Is that so, my dear girl?"

"Uh huh!" She nodded, head animatedly bobbling up and down. "Mummy says she was really nice and that she would have liked me."

"She most certainly would have." Grandfather agreed with a wistful gaze. "She would have certainly enjoyed having another Hufflepuff in the family. So very proud of being a badger, she was."

"I am too! I'm gonna be!" Nymphadora was bouncing on her feet with exuberance. "Can we go somewhere else? Mummy says I'm gonna have to be really good at dinner. It's not dinner yet though, is it?"

Grandfather's lips quirked and he looked very fondly down at her, "It is not. I suppose you have time to be a child for a little longer."

Nymphadora giggled and bumbled over to her father, "Mummy, you said you'd show us around. Can you?"

"Of course, love. We'll go on a walk around the grounds." She assured. Andromeda turned worried eyes on he and Sirius, "Could you inform me... I mean..."

Regulus nodded with a gentle smile. "Trust me, Andy. She'll be thrilled."

"Can say that again!" Sirius grinned, "Cissa's always loved you! Take it from us, that doesn't just go away."

Regulus smiled down at his feet and Andromeda stood shakily. She took her daughter's hand, giving Grandfather a nod. "May we be excused?"

"Of course. The guests will begin arriving in an hour or so. You have plenty of time to drain the little one of her energy. Especially if you take the guest staircases." Grandfather smiled slightly, "It is good to have you back, Andromeda."

She smiled warmly, "So far, it is good to be back." With that, she tugged her daughter towards the door after nodding goodbye to all of the others. Nymphadora waved cheerily at them all, stopping to wrap her arms around Grandfather's legs before rushing back to her parents. They left with a final 'see you later' from Ted and James snickered.

"She's going to be a _nightmare_ at Hogwarts." 

When the guests first began to arrive, Grandfather had insisted they all freshen themselves up and stay in the parlour to wait for them all. He hadn't actually told them the full guest list but Regulus assumed it would be largely the same as the previous meal. With the addition of James, Remus and the Tonkses.

Regulus had pulled Sirius aside, trying to calm him and assure him that they'd all be safe. Sirius had been indignant at first and tried to insist that he _was fine_ and _didn't care one whit about Walburga or the rest of the family_. Regulus had only continued to assure him that their opinions didn't matter and that Grandfather would not allow them to be hurt too much. Nor would the rest of the pack.

Sirius' shoulders had lightened slightly after this and Regulus had wanted to throttle him for being so difficult. You would have thought he had been the socially isolated brother, but no. Sirius, who had been surrounded by friends, had never really learned to just speak freely about how he felt. He was better now, but Walburga Black had the ability to completely ruin Sirius merely by being there.

For the last meal, Sirius had been cocky and Walburga hadn't known that he would be there. Therefore, he was safe. She had also been pleased with Regulus for attending Voldemort's summons, so he was too. Now, however, both of them were on her bad side and she would also be meeting Remus and James. Their whole little family - their pack - would be right in her line of fire and it had clearly agitated Sirius to the extremes.

Andromeda's surprise arrival had certainly soothed them all. She had always been like that. Much like a healing balm for a painful sore or burn. She blanketed you with her presence and assured you that everything would be okay with only a smile.

They had all tittered about Narcissa's response. Regulus knew she would be ecstatic to see Andromeda and he couldn't help but be overjoyed for her. He knew full well what it was like to lose your sibling and having them returned to you with open arms was the best feeling ever. He and Sirius had held hands, sitting side-by-side as they discussed this. While James and Remus didn't _get it_ in the way someone with a sibling would, they had said it would be nice to see something good come Narcissa's way. She had always been nice to them all if clearly distant out of fear of the family's retribution.

Sirius had actually informed him that one time, Narcissa had caught the Marauders out of bed while playing a prank on the Slytherins. She had been a prefect and should have certainly written them up but she had only sent Sirius a narrow-eyed glare and twirled on her heel, stalking back in the direction she had came from.

Regulus wasn't surprised at this. Narcissa's personal motto was always to believe in family first. Unfortunately, that also meant she held some loyalties to the family members that didn't have her best interests at heart. He knew she would always love and adore Bellatrix, but even Narcissa - ever loyal and devoted to her sister - had been off put by her crazed behaviour.

Heels clicking towards the parlour had them all tensing. There were a few women that would be attending, but none of them wanted to be trapped in a room with only Walburga. Regulus tilted his head as he listened to the distant noise. They were at least a hallway away but all of them had exceptional hearing, so it was audible to them.

"Someone's coming." James murmured. "Hope it's not Walburga."

"It's only one person." Remus said confusedly. "A woman, definitely."

Sirius suddenly grinned, "There's only one woman that would arrive alone."

Regulus too grinned at the moment the heels sped up and the door burst open. The wood slammed against the wall and the person by the doorframe held her wand up as she walked in. Her eyes narrowed before she brightened.

"My darlings! I knew someone was lurking... I had not realised you would be waiting for me." Aunt Cassiopeia's eyes were fiery as she stared at them all curiously, "Oh? We have more guests?" Her tone was curious and she licked her lips, "Now, who are you two _fine_ young men."

"Cassie!" Sirius snickered, "They're my age."

Cassiopeia sniffed, "That simply means they are of age. And aren't they just _delicious."_ She licked her lips again, eyeing the two.

Regulus refrained from giggling, he had missed her so much. "Great Aunt Cassie-"

"Just Aunt, dear. We do not need to add the _other_ word." She said quickly, "I'm still very beautiful and I can assure you, I am not as old as you may believe. Though I'm certainly experienced." She purred, eyes trailing up and down James and Remus who were both gaping slightly at the cougar approaching them.

"Yes, Auntie." Regulus smiled, "This is James Potter, Sirius' best friend." It was much easier to just introduce him that way, but it hadn't stopped James from frowning slightly. "And this is Remus Lupin, _my_ consort." Screw polite society, that word still made him pinken. But he would certainly use the word if it stopped Cassie from flirting with his boyfriend. He may be more amused than anything by her and he knew full well Remus wouldn't dare stray, but still. As they'd discussed, Blacks were _notoriously_ possessive.

Cassiopeia's eyes narrowed and her gaze turned flat as she scrutinised Remus. "Oh? You are involved with my little nephew?"

Remus nodded, bowing respectfully and taking her proffered hand to kiss the air above her knuckles, "It is an honour to meet you, Madam Black. I have heard much about you. And yes, Regulus and I have been together for a time. We are very happy."

She hummed delightedly at his politeness but pressed the tip of her wand against his cheek. She had drawn it so quickly that both Sirius and Regulus blinked and James looked worried as if he should be drawing his too. "Hurt my little nephew and I'll prove to you why I'm legally barred from entering the entire continent of South America and a further thirty-nine countries."

Remus swallowed, "Understood, Madam." He rasped and Regulus felt a little sorry for him. He'd been threatened by so many people. As if Remus would dare hurt him, he was too precious.

"Call me Cassie, dear." She said, much more warmly. Her gaze turned to James, looking much hungrier. "James _Potter,_ hm? I have heard much about you from my niece, unfortunately."

James' brows furrowed and Regulus could see him mentally reviewing the family tree that he and Sirius had shown the boys to prepare them. His eyes brightened in remembrance before he scowled, "I'm sorry you had to spend any time with her." He said though his tone was much more fitting to be used when consoling someone who had just been through a tragic loss.

Cassie raised a hand to her chest, throwing her head back in a delighted laugh. "Oh, _you!_ I like you already. Old Wally has only nasty things to say about you, but of course, I don't take much notice of her opinions. They're generally rather bad."

"Like when she told you that the waiter at the Ministry gala was trying to rob her and you then decided you'd rob him of his vir-" Cassie waved a hand hurriedly and laughed.

"No robbing! He was more than eager and he was twenty years old, I'll have you know. You make me sound loose." She hissed before she directed her attention back towards James, placing a hand on his chest and purring at the firmness of his muscle, "Although, I am most certainly very _flexible-"_

"Bloody hell, Cassie!" Alphard shrieked from the doorway, "Talk about a cradle robber!"

Cassie's eyes narrowed in displeasure, "Alphard. You leave me and my darling boytoy alone."

James was still gaping, looking increasingly alarmed. "Um, I- Um-"

"Ignore her." Alphard grinned, "She's determined to beat my score. You see."

"Score?" Regulus asked confusedly.

Sirius' eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly and Regulus continued to frown. Honestly, Regulus was still trying to remember the Ministry gala that Sirius had been talking about. He could vaguely remember Walburga's insistence that the waiter was eyeing up her jewels. From there, he was pretty sure Cassie had made some lewd joke that had enraged Walburga. It was a little fuzzy after that as he'd been exhausted from the pleasantries they'd been exchanging all evening. But he could have sworn there was something about Cassie and the waiter and an alcove...

"Unimportant." Alphard said breezily. "Cassie, my dear, if this is who I think it is, I believe he has a girlfriend."

Cassie scowled. "He hasn't said that!" She whirled back to James demandingly. 

"I- I do, uh, actually." James said meekly. "Love of my life, really." His eyes lit up with that special spark he always got when he spoke about Lily. Regulus felt sorry for him. He knew James missed her desperately but daren't tell her of the mission. It would put her into even more danger and she was already at risk, being a muggleborn that was more than outspoken in her beliefs.

"All of the pretty ones are always taken. I most certainly won't be a woman on the side!" She bemoaned before sternly waving a finger at James as if he had tried to proposition her. "It's just as I told Olav, I wouldn't be his side dish! I am a main course! But apparently removing one of his testicles was too far and so he banned me from entering his precious country." She sniffed, "As if Norway is all that interesting."

"Of course not." James grinned charmingly, "A lady like you deserves to be a man's one and only."

She sighed wistfully, laying a hand on James' shoulder mournfully. "Oh if I were twenty years younger..."

"Add the extra fifteen." 

"Alphard." She hissed with narrowed eyes.

Alphard grinned unrepentantly, "Nice to see you boys. You must be.. Remus Lupin, correct?" He said, looking inquisitive as to why he was there. James made sense in a way, he was a pureblood after all.

"I'm Regulus' consort." Remus said proudly.

Alphard's grin turned feral, "Oh?"

"If you threaten him you'll be like, the seventh to do so." Sirius said amusedly.

"No threatening." Alphard said.

"We're promising." Cassie said profoundly.

Regulus sighed, "Nice to see you both, Uncle, Auntie." He nodded at them in turn. "Is anyone else here?"

Cassie snorted, "Lucretia and Ignatius will be here soon. They don't like to come but they'll show up for the drama. And, well, after the events of the previous dinner, who can blame them?" She smirked.

Lounging on the chaise, Alphard nodded. "Indeed. Oh, I know Cygnus and Druella will be here shortly. And I believe Narcissa and her peacock shall be arriving with them."

"Peacock." James snickered.

Regulus rolled his eyes. He hated Malfoy too but honestly, the name calling was a little childish. "What about the rest?"

"Don't know." Alphard shrugged.

"You are always so uncouth." Grandfather tutted. "We may as well wait in the main lounge. We have more family than last time." He stressed the word family and Regulus flushed internally. He had certainly been talking about Andromeda, but he knew in the previous few days that Grandfather had begun to truly enjoy James and Remus' company. He seemed to like that James was so good for Sirius and that Remus was good for him. The man had privately spoken with the two and when they'd returned, they'd been flushed with pride. Sirius and Regulus had tried to get them to spill, but they'd refused.

Cassiopeia nodded once and Grandfather turned to return to the receiving room, "Heir Potter, would you kindly escort me?" She batted her eyelashes.

James blinked and mouthed silently for a moment.

"Don't worry. I can keep my hands to myself. Allow an older lady her fun." She beseeched him, looking much more innocent than she had any right to be. He knew how much blood was on her hands and - if you asked him - the shade of her nail polish was a little too familiar to him.

Merlin, he hoped she hadn't used actual blood _again._

"Of course, Madam Black. I would be honoured to escort such a fine woman." James nodded, extending his arm and Cassie giggled as she held onto him. Sending a vicious grin at Alphard, Cassie sauntered from the room with a slightly uncertain but overall accepting James Potter.

Sirius snickered and nudged at Alphard, leading him from the room. Regulus turned shyly to Remus who offered his arm, inclining his head like a gentleman. "Might I have the pleasure of escorting you, Master Black?"

Regulus' cheeks darkened but he joined their arms, dipping his head respectfully. "Of course, Master Lupin."

As they waited in the parlour, guests slowly began to arrive. Lucretia and Ignatius were first, extending their greetings which certainly warmed upon seeing the young Heir Potter in the room. Another from a Light inclined family was certainly welcome. Cygnus and Druella were next, both of whom wrinkled their noses at the two non-family members in the room and Druella had sniffed haughtily, refusing to stand anywhere near them. Particularly Remus and when he was introduced, they had both shared disdainful looks.

Regulus had felt an incessant urge to maul them both. Sirius and Remus had both held him down, sitting either side of him, to stop him from snarling and hexing them both. _Prejudiced arseholes._ As if Remus wasn't worth twelve of them!

Naturally, Narcissa and Lucius arrived shortly after the two. Narcissa was much more cordial, sending restrained but certainly genial smiles at them while Lucius wrinkled his nose slightly at James and acted completely indifferently towards Remus. After the Malfoy's was Pollux and Irma, both had refused to acknowledge Remus at all and had only _barely_ stayed polite with James due to his status as Heir to a pureblood family.

Again, Regulus had needed to be held down but Sirius and James had both made their own dislike of the two elders clear. Remus had happily smiled at them, feigning ignorance and Regulus admired his ability to interact with purebloods that clearly thought lesser of him. Regulus had always been too emotional to remain truly unaffected but he had improved over the years. He hated to think about just _why_ Remus was so unaffected by their treatment of him.

Regulus spared a moment to be glad that Bellatrix wasn't to be here. She would have likely tried to curse Remus on sight. A half-blood of no well known bloodline or wealth? She would have been disgusted.

Speaking of disgusted, as the next set of footsteps approached, they all tensed. Even the Blacks that disliked the two non-family members being there were on the edge of their seats, just _waiting_ for the drama that would surely follow.

Grandfather strolled in first, posture at ease and clearly he had insisted upon leading them. Orion was just behind his father with that same sheepish droop to his shoulders that slightly sickened Regulus. How had he allowed himself to become such a weak man?

But it was Walburga that everyone was avidly watching. She strode into the room with purpose, eyes already darting around to try and find her wayward sons. Her back was straight and her body was tense as if awaiting something. With an almost audible click, her eyes locked onto the chaise upon which the four boys sat. Carefully, she let her eyes drag across them all.

Sirius watched her disdainfully, Regulus was cautiously examining her posture, Remus only returned her stare evenly and James' lip was curled in distaste.

He wondered what she was thinking. It was clear that the four were all together and he knew she would recognise them both. She had ranted and raved about _filthy, no-good, blood traitor James Potter_ for years and Regulus could distinctly remember the way her eyes would glare hatefully at the Marauders every year when they would say their greetings or farewells on the platform.

The way her jaw lowered slightly was all she would do to show her surprise at seeing them there.

Wrinkling her nose, she sniffed, tilting her head high and looking away from them. "I see you have seen it fit to involve those _not_ within this family." She stated.

Grandfather looked at her blankly, "They are most certainly family to my grandsons. That makes them family to me."

Her lip curled in rage, "You would allow the half-breed to dine with us? At our table, where only the purest and most exceptional members of the wizarding community had dined for the ages? Where generations of Blacks have-"

"Oh sweet Salazar, it's just a table woman." Sirius snapped.

Grandfather raised a hand, "Walburga. It is not in your best interest to question me."

Walburga clearly disagreed but instead she focused her anger on Sirius, "You! I shouldn't be surprised that you would allow such common muck to sully our halls."

"Oh yes, our _noble_ halls." Sirius rolled his eyes, "The ancestors of the House of Black are rolling in their graves because a half-blood touched their marble flooring."

"We'll need to replace the silverware." Regulus added, "Can't have it tarnished."

"Understandable. I wouldn't want to cause any upset." Remus said faux meekly.

"You shouldn't! Now go and clean the stables like a good pet." James sniffed.

"How _dare_ you mock me!" Walburga hissed, "Do you not know who I am?"

"I assure you, I do." Remus smiled, "Remus Lupin, I'm sure you know me too."

Walburga's lip curled as she trailed her eyes up and down his body, "You are not fit to walk these halls. I do not know why you were invited."

"As Grandfather said, they're family." Regulus snapped. Oh, appears the potion from Madam Pomfrey was making him braver than usual.

She went to retort but Grandfather held a hand up. _"Peace._ We are all family here, Walburga. Act according to your station." He said smoothly. Walburga had always taken such pride in her status and any kind of hit to her prestige was bound to make her bend to anyone's will.

"Should we not continue onto the dining room?" Cygnus piped up, looking as if he wanted to save his sister any further embarrassment.

"We are not all here, yet." Grandfather said, "Although they should be arriving soon."

As he said this, the sound of footsteps approached. A heavier set which was clearly Ted, light heels clicked against the flooring to indicate Andromeda and he could hear soft, bouncing footsteps that most certainly belonged to Nymphadora. He could hear soft shushing as the people approaching arranged themselves.

Andromeda entered with her head held high in defiance, Ted just behind her with Dora tucked behind his legs. Regulus felt that hope from earlier expand. They had clearly arranged themselves to best protect their daughter should any members of the family get nasty. Sirius tensed beside him and Regulus was tempted to draw his wand as the parlour went completely silent.

Even more so than when they had waited for Walburga and Orion to arrive, the whole family was stumped. They sat in complete silence as Andromeda kept her gaze cool and seemingly aloof. Nymphadora was doing a good job of hiding behind her father and keeping quiet, but her curious eyes took in the expressions with alarming intelligence. Regulus hoped she didn't take the looks personally. Ted, however, didn't seem to care and was glaring openly as he stood in front of his daughter.

"Why, hello family." Andromeda said, taking in the room.

A soft whimper came from the other side of the room and Regulus didn't need to check to see who it was. Andromeda's eyes softened as she looked towards the corner where Narcissa was sandwiched in between her husband and her mother. Narcissa was even more pale than usual, icy blue eyes glistening with tears as she held a hand to her slightly agape mouth.

"A-Andromeda?" Narcissa whispered brokenly.

Andromeda smiled, "Hello little snowflake."

Narcissa sobbed, jumping to her feet and rushing to Andromeda who opened her arms and wrapped Narcissa in them tightly. Narcissa sniffled and wept openly onto her sisters shoulder, clutching at her desperately. Regulus wondered if this is how it would have been to witness his reunion with Sirius from a few months ago. Narcissa was wailing as she held onto her sister and it honestly shocked Regulus that she had so happily broken propriety to showcase such an emotional reaction. It would have been more expected for Narcissa to keep a cool head and be slightly distant from Andromeda.

But he knew her better.

The way she was reacting was the way he had reacted to seeing Sirius. It was two siblings that loved each other desperately but had been forced apart due to the family not allowing them to interact. And Narcissa had always _adored_ her sisters. The three Black sisters and the two Black brothers had all been best friends growing up and he knew that for Narcissa, losing both of them must have been _awful._ Especially as Bella was now gone for good. She would never be considered family again and she was a mass murderer, her only hope now was to be killed before she could be locked up in Azkaban for life.

It was only a matter of time, truly.

Narcissa whimpered, "Y-You're back? You called us family so y-you-"

"I'm back." Andromeda promised, "I shan't be leaving you again." She whispered apologetically, kissing Narcissa's wet cheek.

"Is this the pretty lady from the pictures?" Nymphadora asked, peeking out from behind Ted.

Narcissa jumped back in shock but Andromeda only turned to her confusedly, "What pictures?"

The little girl pinkened, "I looked at some pictures from the box in the garage."

Andromeda tutted, "Those were private, Dora."

"She's your sister! That makes her my auntie!" Nymphadora said proudly, pushing out from behind Ted's legs even though he desperately tried to hide her. She rushed to stand beside her mother, holding a hand up to Narcissa. "Hello! I'm Tonks!"

"Her name is Nymphadora." Andromeda said tiredly.

Narcissa breathed out, crouching down to see the little girl. "You're my niece?" She whispered happily, hungrily taking in her features. 

"I am!" Nymphadora said proudly before she furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't like the name Nymphadora!"

"It's such a beautiful name." Narcissa said confusedly.

"Thank you!" Andromeda said.

Nymphadora tilted her head, "You've got pretty hair. Can I have it? Mum says I'm supposed to ask first but I forgot earlier." She murmured, looking abashedly at the four boys who all smiled at her endearingly.

Narcissa's eyebrows furrowed, "Have... it?"

Nymphadora, whose hair had previously been the same shade as Andromeda's - likely on her mother's insistence - scrunched her face up in concentration before her hair lengthened. The shade lightened to match Narcissa's platinum blonde hair and the woman gasped. Regulus saw other members of the family gaping openly at the little girl, clearly in shock that a metamorphmagus had been conceived with a _mudblood_ for a father.

"A metamorphmagus!" She whispered, reaching out to cup Nymphadora's cheek. "You're such a talented little girl. But.. you're so big..." She trailed off sadly.

"I'm five!" The little girl beamed.

Andromeda looked contrite, "I wanted to tell you about her but..."

Narcissa wiped her eyes, shaking her head. "No, no. I understand." But her expression was completely devastated. She looked utterly heart broken as she looked down at the niece that she had never met before and knew nothing about beyond her name, age and ability as a metamorphmagus. Narcissa's lip wobbled slightly and she sniffled again, looking at her sister with a smile, "I do."

Her older sister looked relieved, lovingly stroking the top of her head. She went to say something but was quite rudely interrupted by an indignant shriek.

"You _dare_ allow her back into this family!" Walburga hissed, whirling around to Sirius. "I know this was your doing!"

"Actually," Grandfather interjected, "It was mine."

Cygnus gaped, "Why- Why in Merlin's name would you allow... _that_ girl, back into the family?"

Andromeda didn't even look upset and merely flicked her eyes away dispassionately. Grandfather raised an eyebrow, "She has no reason not to be. Her betrothal contract was broken, yes, but she should never have been betrothed to begin with. Not without my say." He turned to Lucius, "I do not suppose you have any objection?"

Lucius had previously been glaring disdainfully at Ted Tonks, but upon being addressed directly he straightened. Clearly, he did not want Andromeda back in the family as that would mean being indirectly related to a muggleborn. However, the sharp eyes Narcissa was giving him behind a seemingly neutral mask had him faltering.

"I do not. Our betrothal was broken..." He said uncertainly, "However, now that Narcissa is my bride, it is of no consequence."

Narcissa nodded once, "See, Father? There is no issue here."

Cygnus looked ready to disagree but Druella stood, uncertainly approaching her daughter. "Andromeda? You... have a daughter?" She said, eyes shining as she looked down at Nymphadora. It seemed to be very difficult for her to positively interact with what was clearly a half-blood child, but the love she seemed to still hold for her daughter apparently overrode that.

"I do. Her name is Nymphadora Vulpecula Tonks and she is five." Andromeda nodded.

Druella frowned as she scrutinised her granddaughter, "A metamorphmagus.."

"Yes." Andromeda said nastily, "And she has a _muggleborn_ father."

Druella flinched slightly, looking contrite as she looked away, swallowing. Cygnus refused to pay attention to Andromeda or Nymphadora, staring instead at Narcissa who kept her head held high defiantly. She was cooing quietly to Nymphadora, asking her questions and watching as she morphed to look like a miniature Narcissa. Lucius, who had been watching with a blank expression, seemed awestruck by this and looked wistfully at Narcissa as if imagining their own daughter.

Hm. So he wasn't a complete heartless arse. Just _mostly._

Grandfather smiled (well, he quirked his lips slightly, but for Lord Black that's basically a beaming grin), "Family. Let us move through to the dining room. We may exchange pleasantries while we wait for the meal to begin." And as one, they filed out in order. Grandfather in the lead, followed by Sirius who had James as his plus one, then Regulus and Remus. Behind them were the rest of the family, some mumbling disgustedly (Pollux, Irma, Cygnus, Walburga) while others seemed baffled by the turn of events (Lucretia, Ignatius). Others, were openly pleased (Narcissa, Cassie, Alphard) while some just seemed unsure (Druella, Lucius, Orion).

They took their seats as one after Lord Black had seated.

The complete turn around of the seating plan had stumped them all but Grandfather had only given them all a plain look before they all hurried to sit.

Merlin, was he just _trying_ to cause a heart attack with the older relatives?

The hierarchy had been completely ignored _(again)_ and seemed to have been altered to try and reduce the fighting, though some seemed to have been for Grandfather's own amusement.

Grandfather, Melania's empty seat and Sirius were all the same as they were the three heads of the family. Cassiopeia was still sat beside Melania, however instead of Pollux, it was Alphard beside her. 

Regulus had been pushed down a seat due to James' presence and was sandwiched in between James and Remus, feeling only _slightly_ bereft by the distance with his brother. He had never had a family dinner before - with Sirius in attendance - that they hadn't sat next to each other. The lost puppy look on Sirius' face and how he would pout slightly when he turned to speak to Regulus pleased him, however. At least he wasn't the only clingy one.

Remus was luckily sat with Narcissa on his other side. She was certainly unlikely to hex him or poison his food when he turned away. So Regulus was thankful. Of course, beside Narcissa was Lucius followed by Lucretia, Ignatius, Pollux and Irma in that order.

The latter two had been glaring disdainfully at all those seated that they did not like and so Regulus cared very little that they had been shunted to the end of the table.

On the opposite side, beside Cassie and Alphard was Andromeda's little family. Andromeda was opposite Remus with Nymphadora beside her. Narcissa seemed delighted to be opposite her niece while Lucius on her left side was pursing his lips at being opposite a _muggleborn._ A muggleborn that continued to look at him with a beaming grin, ignoring his discomfort to engage in conversation with the blond man, talking about something called _telephones._

Besides Ted was Orion who - to his credit - only looked _mildly_ displeased. Walburga at his right side, however, was practically catatonic with her rage and Regulus could see the ire slowly building. It was only a matter of time before it blew wide open and she lost it completely.

Seeing James and Remus had clearly started her off, then adding Andromeda back into the family and now the change in seating _(again)_ had clearly been a little too much for her to bare. What a _shame._

Finishing off the lot was Cygnus and Druella who, while clearly displeased at being in the lowest ranking seats, seemed too distracted by their daughter. Cygnus was pretending as if she didn't exist while simultaneously tilting his head to listen to her as she talked while Druella was wistfully gazing down at the table and sipping her wine sadly, sniffling every so often.

Sirius cautiously started a conversation with Cassie who seemed beyond pleased to be opposite James, eyeing him hungrily and winking every five seconds only to start cackling whenever he got flustered and almost dropped his drink or knocked it off the table altogether. Cassie offhandedly mentioned her mastery, causing James to light up and engage heavily with her. _Much to her pleasure_. Alphard was politely asking about Remus' family life and Regulus was content to sit back and watch his better family members interact with his little family.

The dinner began smoothly, the first course having gone over well and they were all currently finishing their mains. There were a variety of dishes from steaks that Remus and Alphard were heartily enjoying, fish which was the chosen option of Druella, Irma and Ignatius or chicken for Regulus, James, Narcissa and Nymphadora who had whined about the long dinner three times already. The others either opted out of meat like Lucretia or had a different meat like rabbit, duck or venison (James had glared angrily at Cygnus for that even though the man had no idea why). 

Regulus had chosen chicken as since he became an Animagus, his fondness for that particular meat had gone up substantially. Sirius had said it was the same for him and any kind of hearty meat was always favoured by him and for this meal Sirius had been the only one to dine on rabbit for his main course. Something about having chased a rabbit a couple weeks before and craving it ever since. James was munching a very salad heavy meal, generally enjoying his chicken and potatoes as well, though he had complained about the lack of seasoning quietly to the pack who had all snickered.

As the full was mere days away, Remus was tearing into a very rare (therefore especially bloody) steak and ignoring the horrified looks of the more supercilious Blacks. Walburga and Druella specifically looked disgusted and Narcissa oddly seemed amused, commenting that the cow may as well be mooing. Regulus was glad for that. She seemed so much _lighter_ and more engaged, jovially ignoring everyone else to converse with the much nicer members of the family.

Regulus should have known that things were going _too_ well. As Narcissa finished gushing over Andromeda's wedding ring, Walburga cleared her throat loudly and the whole table was blanketed in silence. 

It had not escaped his notice that Walburga was exceedingly quiet. She had been stiffly consuming her meal of choice, only ever taking her eyes off of her plate to glare every so often at Regulus' end of the table. That had made him laugh, Grandfather must have purposefully designed the seating plan so that the much more amiable members surrounded him. It was a very good way of ignoring Walburga's rage. Shunting her down to the table with a whole family between them was the perfect wall for Grandfather to hide behind, electing to sip his wine and ignore her pointed looks.

As the silence stretched on, Walburga continued when she was certain all eyes were on her. Respectfully, she tilted her head down slightly and addressed Grandfather, "I would like to inquire, Lord Black, now that we are all seated, on why these two non-family members are here." She sniffed haughtily.

"I have already answered this, Walburga." Grandfather replied airily.

"I don't see you questioning _my_ presence, have you accepted me as family then, auntie?" Andromeda asked serenely. Regulus smirked down into his goblet as he took a sip of his refilled pumpkin juice. Sirius still refused to allow him access to alcohol (not that he wanted it, he just liked to cause a fuss honestly).

But he certainly loved seeing Andromeda poke at the other members of the family while they all pretended to be above retorting in anger. She had already commented on Irma's _brave decision_ to allow her hair to go completely grey and stop colour charming it - a jab at her much older visage and they'd all hidden their amusement when the woman had pursed her lips crossly and turned away. She had also smiled at Pollux, asking if he was glad to see his granddaughter again after her _embarrassing_ leave from the family, grinning wickedly when he shifted angrily at the poke at Bellatrix's banishment.

Walburga's lips pinched and the skin around her eyes tightened at Andromeda's words. "If Lord Black has accepted _you,_ Andromeda, I suppose _you_ are family." She said tersely, emphasising the _'you'_ to impress the meaning of her words. To Walburga, her _half-breed_ daughter and _mudblood_ husband would never be family.

Andromeda only smiled thinly and turned back to Grandfather who cleared his throat, "They are family, Walburga. It is truly as simple as it seems."

"They are not blood." Walburga said sourly.

Sirius grinned, "News flash, Walburga. Blood doesn't mean a thing when it comes to family. Oftentimes, your true family is who you choose it to be."

Walburga glared and James nodded soundly, "Too true, Sirius. I've always thought the worth of ones blood to be far too exaggerated."

"You _would_ say that." Walburga hissed. James continued to grin unconcernedly at her anger, "What of the Lupin, boy? He is a penniless half-blood, is he not? Blood-traitor he may be, but at least _Potter's_ blood is pure." She glowered, spitting out the name _Potter_ as if it were an exceptionally unpalatable dish she had tried out of curiosity only to be disgusted by the flavour.

Regulus rolled his eyes, "James is not here because of his blood status. He is here as family to both Sirius and myself." Regulus ignored her angry spluttering as he referred to _James Potter_ as his family and continued, "Besides, Remus happens to be my consort. Therefore, he is family."

In a moment, her attention was fixated on him and her chest heaved in her wrathful anger. The blue of her eyes turned sharp and dangerous like a deep, dark ocean that he had been thrown into with rocks tied to his shoes. They sparked like a lightning bolt as her hands shook on top of the table in her rage. Walburga took in his defiant expression and it tickled Regulus that nobody had saw fit to warn her of his new relationship. They hadn't exactly kept it a secret. They'd even walked through Diagon Alley holding hands!

"Consort?" She breathed, body trembling with rage. "You dare to cavort with a filthy half-blood?" She shrieked.

"I do!" He hissed, jumping to his feet.

"You will cease this at _once!"_ Walburga demanded.

Regulus laughed, "I'm sullying your blood with the son of a _muggle,_ Walburga. How does it feel?" He smirked wickedly at her reddening cheeks.

Rising, she bodily shook with anger. "I _forbid_ you-"

"Fuck you!" He cried, body shaking as he laughed freely at her upset. His eyes burned with relieved tears as he realised what he had just said to her face. _"Fuck you,_ Walburga. You are _nothing_ to me anymore!" Perhaps that potion wasn't so bad. He couldn't believe the sheer relief flooding through his veins as he finally told her what he felt.

"I am your _mother!_ How dare you-" She spluttered as he laughed at her again, "You insolent whelp! You will listen to me! You will do as I say!"

"You _aren't_ my mother!" Regulus seethed, "You wouldn't know the first thing about being a true mother even if someone beat you over the head with a bloody manual! You can _not_ order me about anymore. I'm no longer your puppet! I'm no longer your _son!"_

She stared at him, body taught and hands clenching around nothing. Her jaw trembled as she stared at him with utter hatred, "Blood-traitor _scum._ I should have drowned you at birth! Both of my sons, disappointments! How dare you think I would allow you to commit such _vile_ acts? A sodomite as well as a half-breed's whore?" She roared.

Regulus laughed, "You think I care what you think?" He shouted, "You mean nothing to me!" And, yes, that was true in a way. Really, he needed to thank whoever first invented that potion. He would never have had the guts to say this and all of his family members were staring at him in astonishment.

Sirius (as well as pretty much everyone in the room that liked him) was looking a mixture of proud and shocked whereas everyone else just seemed _baffled_ that out of the two Black brothers, it was _Regulus_ causing a ruckus. He had always been so subdued and quiet, particularly in comparison to Sirius. To see him swearing in Walburga's face must be like seeing Voldemort and Dumbledore declare their betrothal.

"How dare you!" Walburga shrieked, "I am your _mother!_ You are made from my flesh and blood, you will listen to my word or I shall ensure you suffer for your impertinence!"

"Oh do shut up, Walburga." Regulus sneered. "You're pathetic. You've lost both of your sons. Accept it."

Walburga's chest heaved, "I will _ruin_ you-"

"I'd like to see you try." Regulus said daringly, voice quieter but just as sharp. "You're _nothing,_ Walburga. You aren't going to be Lady Black and you don't even get to parade around your perfect sons. You _failed_ in your duties." He said snidely, "Neither of us want a _thing_ to do with you and when you get old, you'll die alone and unloved. Just as you deserve to be." He finished with a relaxed set to his face.

Walburga's whole body was coiled tight and she raised her wand so quickly he barely managed to catch the spell that she hissed at him before it struck, alighting his nerves with pain and coursing fire through his veins.

_"Crucio!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make it clear the seating is as follows:  
> Grandfather at the head and in descending order on his right is: Sirius, James, Regulus, Remus, Narcissa, Lucius, Lucretia, Ignatius, Pollux and Irma.  
> Then from Grandfather's left side downwards is: Melania's empty seat, Cassiopeia, Alphard, Andromeda, Nymphadora, Edward, Orion, Walburga, Cygnus and Druella.
> 
> I just wanted to make that clear (honestly more for my benefit - I kept getting so confused I had to draw it out and ended up changing it six times!)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! Isn't Dora cute? And I love the idea of Narcissa and Andromeda being really close - sigh. Plus, I love Narcissa. She was a bad bitch and canonically lied to Voldemort's face.. I mean c'mon!


	36. The Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blacks are a possessive lot and Walburga gets what she deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for death/murder, really minor gore(?), violence, child abuse, threats of infant death(?) and really mild homophobia (it's 1 comment from Walburga but she's foul so!)
> 
> [This is a hard chapter to tag for warnings, I just want to make sure nobody gets a nasty surprise :(]

Sirius had been a bit of a wreck regarding dinner.

He could _begrudgingly_ admit to that. 

However, he felt like it wasn't an unfounded worry. The Black family weren't exactly a pleasant bunch and although some members were certainly good fun, most of them were still liable to cut your tongue out at a moments notice. Even darling Aunt Cassie was a complete psychopath and she was one of his _nicer_ family members.

At least he didn't have to worry about the older ones like Pollux and Irma. They were prejudiced and foul certainly, (Walburga had to have learned it from somewhere and her parents were the obvious culprits) but they were old. They were also very unlikely to actively do something to upset Lord Black as they both knew full well that at their age, losing their Familial Magics would be a death sentence.

Walburga, however, would likely just be rendered more insane than she already was and Sirius knew full well that she had _something_ in the works. She had done something to prepare for this, the evil glint in her eye just waiting for a reason to show her hand had him wary from the moment she stepped into the parlour. 

Seeing Andromeda had been an utter surprise. Regulus had quietly admitted that he had assumed she would have something to do with it, though it had still certainly blindsided him, seeing her in person and with a child hanging from her legs. And wasn't _that_ an additional shock? Andromeda had always been the most parental of them all, but still, seeing her with an actual sprog had been bizarre. 

The fact that she wasn't beating her senseless had baffled him further. So it wasn't just a Black family thing, just a Walburga Black thing then. _Lovely._

When they'd started dinner, he'd been put out by the gap between he and Regulus. Logically, he should have expected it. Of course James would be by his side, he was his plus-one so it only made sense. But still, he didn't like the idea that Regulus was further away from him. Not with the way Walburga was eyeing him up every time he was distracted conversing with Cassie or Alphard or even Ted Tonks.

Remus was luckily getting along well with the family and James had the uncanny ability to not give a fuck what people thought of him and was happily chatting across the table with anyone who even glanced at him. He'd already started a very one-sided conversation with Orion who had seemed baffled by this specky, messy-haired brat that was trying to talk to him.

Sirius had snickered into his wine, laughing quietly at the way Walburga's eyes practically rolled back into her head with her rage.

But then, things had taken a turn.

He had just finished enjoying listening to Alphard recount his recent trip to Sweden (where had had apparently met a fine set of twins and had a lot of fun with the both of them) when Walburga had felt the need to pipe up again.

Sirius was sick of listening to the hag at this point. It was as if she was blind to the way Grandfather genuinely did not care for her complaints. She definitely wasn't, she just liked the attention and being able to complain like a child having a tantrum.

He wondered how Pollux and Irma had even raised her really. She was such a spoiled brat and her aggressive, impatient and quite frankly barbaric way of dealing with her own children made him wonder how they had had a daughter like her. It must have come from somewhere. But while Pollux was a nasty old bigot and Irma was certainly no better, they weren't the type to brandish their wands and throw around Dark spells just for the fun of it.

They were very laid back, in a way. They'd certainly react if threatened, but neither of them really bothered to show a reaction. Which, was the Slytherin way, he supposed. So it slightly perplexed him that Walburga always reacted in such a brash manner, she was reacting the way a Gryffindor would. Refusing to back down and being adamant in their beliefs.

Briefly, he spared a thought to wonder if perhaps her sorting hadn't been as simple as she'd claimed. Maybe she had known that Sirius was alike her in that way, that he too would be destined for a House that was not Slytherin.

The thought made him ill. But he was now mature enough that he could admit he and Walburga had _some_ similarities. They both didn't back down and they were both quick to raise their wands and were generally rather ill tempered.

Shamefully, he could see where they were similar. But he was no pureblood bigot and he certainly never raised his wand just for the sake of it. He'd certainly never thrown around Dark spells to innocent people and _definitely_ not to children. Though they were an odd thing, he could barely remember being that small. He could certainly remember Regulus at that age, but Regulus was different. Other children, by comparison, just seemed so loud and bizarre.

When Regulus had jumped to his feet, hissing with the same spiteful disgust that Walburga was that she meant nothing to him, he'd been stupefied. It had been a matter of time before he himself had done the same, but Regulus was generally such a timid boy. He really had changed over the past year.

Regulus himself had begun to get a little nasty and when he pointedly brought up her _duties,_ he inwardly winced. Walburga would not like that. For years she had gone on and on about her vaunted _duties_ to her House and how the boys needed to follow in her footsteps. How, in time, they would be expected to marry a witch of good standing and conceive as many Heirs for the House of Black as they could. From there, they were to be noble purebloods and live the lavish lifestyle of their ancestors.

It wasn't until Voldemort had started to gain favour that she decided these duties would change. Instead of retiring to live the life of a filthy rich layabout, they were to marry, conceive and then murder every muggle and muggleborn they saw. At some point, she had even skipped over the betrothal and Heirs issue, deciding that instead they were to become homicidal lunatics.

The night he had made his refusal loud and clear, she had fired off the Cruciatus so quickly it had shocked him. When the curse had hit, he had been overcome with complete mind-numbing agony and had allowed himself a moment to recover. After she lifted the curse to ask him if his views had changed, he had been so overcome with rage and a callous, out of control need to make her pay. His magic had overwhelmed him and thrown her against the wall of the tapestry room that she had been torturing him in, showing him his ancestors to impress upon him the importance of his blood. As if he _cared._

She had been dazed and confused and Sirius had hurried to throw everything he could in a bag and get the fuck out of there. He could handle her prejudice, but the fact that she was trying to sign him up to be a murderer had destroyed every last fragment of love he may have buried for her. She was no mother to anyone. Certainly not to _him._

Only, in his thunderous and frenzied escape, he had forgotten to take with him the most important thing in Grimmauld Place. 

Regulus.

As he arrived at the Potters and had come down from his rage, he had mourned the loss of his baby brother, certain he was gone for good. But he had also had a little too much faith in Walburga, _surely_ she wouldn't sign her favourite son up for what was essentially an assuredly painful death.

Seeing Walburga's fury overwhelm her, raising her wand quickly and sharp with purpose, he knew what she was going to do before she even did it. He was still seated and therefore too far to intercede - shield spells would have been pointless and all he could do was blame himself for being so utterly _careless._ Blame himself for thinking that she wouldn't dare do something right at the dinner table, with a small child present, no less.

 _"Crucio!"_ She hissed.

Regulus' whole body contorted and he screamed in pain. Sirius saw James cover Regulus, cradling him as he jerked with the motions of the curse. Satisfied that his brother would be taken care of, he fired off a spell at Walburga to cut her concentration. The rest of the family either scurried away from the table or left the room altogether, Ted having rushed out with little Nymphadora who was crying and Lucretia and Ignatius had followed - clearly not wanting to be involved in the drama.

Pollux and Irma were doing the Black version of hiding, pressing themselves into the corner of the room and watching with their wands out warily. Cygnus and Druella were doing the same on the other side of the room while Orion seemed baffled by the sudden change in atmosphere. Lucius was uncertainly looking around while Andromeda had her wand aimed at Walburga, livid fury written across her features while Narcissa was backing her up, staring at the rest of the family with her wand in hand.

Only Alphard and Cassie seemed to be unsurprised and were both lazily pointing their wands towards Walburga. Grandfather's face was set into a furious scowl and Sirius was glad that look was not directed towards him.

Walburga shrieked as Sirius' spell connected with her wand arm, slowly freezing the limb up to her shoulder. She trembled as she took a step backwards, staring at Sirius in a boiling mixture of wrathful horror. That was an especially Dark spell from a Dark Arts book he'd studied and he was surprised that it had connected. Did she not think they would rush to protect Regulus?

Shrugging mentally, he sent a simple exploding hex at her arm to make the ice shatter. She screeched as the limb was severed at her shoulder, staring at him with betrayal. _Fuck you,_ he thought as he met her eyes uncaringly.

He was also pleased to noticed that she had flinched as a spell connected with her torso, likely why she had allowed Sirius' to connect. She had been distracted. From the colour and red scorch mark he could see poking out from the now tattered fabric it had been a flagellating curse. It appeared to have come from Remus who had his wand raised and a satisfied look in his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Cassie eyeing Remus much more approvingly.

"You- You _wastrel!"_ She cried, "How dare you! I am your mother!" Hm, appeared she hadn't noticed the solid whack to her abdomen and must have thought he had fired off the spells much quicker than humanly possible. Oh well.

"You're a dead bitch walking, is what you are." Sirius seethed, chest heaving as he saw Regulus trembling from the after effects of the Cruciatus curse. His brother was still recovering and this _crone_ before him may have just caused him a major setback in his health. Remus was shakily pointing his wand at Walburga, eyes still bright with fury and he debated whether or not it would be ethical to let Moony eat her. Regulus was hunched over, sprawled in James' arms who was worriedly examining him.

"I'll kill you." He promised in a hoarse whisper.

Walburga's lips twisted, "You're a half-breed! You are nothing!" She spat. "Vile and worthless, my Lord will ruin you all!"

"Your Lord?" Grandfather snapped, "I am certain you do not mean me."

She flinched slightly but stayed strong, "I misspoke, Lord Black." She responded, head tilted. "But as you can see, your Heir is unruly! He attacked-"

"He responded in kind to a threat against his kin." Grandfather's eyebrows were furrowed, the scowl set deeply into his features as he stared her down. "I see no issue with that. You are the one who is at fault here, Walburga."

"You are allowing a parasite to dine with us! A mere leech that is scrounging off of the Black's good name, he will ruin us! A vagrant pauper, Lord Black, surely you see-" She sputtered, seemingly unable to find proper words for her anger. He also knew the curse he used would have caused her immense pain, but he had to hand it to her, she was certainly persistent.

Remus scoffed, "Oh do shut up, Walburga. Nobody here wants to listen to your incoherent screeching."

Andromeda snorted, "We've had to listen to it for years, someone put it to a stop already."

"You and your half-breed spawn-" Walburga began, "That _mudblood_ has tainted you! Our bloodline has been sullied by that creature you bore!"

Sirius could see Regulus shakily assuring James that he was okay, hands bouncing as the curse continued to cause his muscles to cramp even after it had been lifted. Sirius himself knew that exposure to the Cruciatus could cause aches and spasms for days afterwards. Perhaps even longer if the curse was in effect for a prolonged period of time.

"Grandfather." Sirius began, jaw clenched and wand still pointed at Walburga. "I request that Walburga Black be subjected to the Familial Magics for judgement. As penance for her crimes, she should be penalised as they see fit." Because, he knew Grandfather would not allow for Sirius himself to enact vengeance. If he were given his way, he would have her under his wand for hours as he slowly decimated the woman he once called _Mother._

The mans eyes were cool as he assessed Sirius, he blinked once and turned back to Walburga. "I concur."

Walburga choked, taking in a wheezing breath. "Y-You can not!"

"We are in agreeance, Walburga. My Heir brings forth a good, _fair_ method for you to be corrected on your behaviour. Do not fret. After all, if you have any chance for rehabilitation, the Familial Magics will spare you." Grandfather nodded, cadence smooth and rich.

"I have always been faithful to the House of Black! Disciplining my child is of no-"

"D-Discipline?" Regulus started, "I see n-no discipline. You a-are an abuser, W-Walburga. You will g-get what's c-coming to you."

"So will you!" She promised, eyes alight with reverence, "I assure you, _He_ is aware of your treachery and has no time for absconders." 

"You aren't helping yourself here, Auntie." Narcissa said blandly.

Walburga's lip curled, "I do not care! No longer shall I hide! This family has been poisoned - infected with a disease and only my Lord will cleanse us and allow us to find absolution!"

Orion sighed tiredly, "Walburga, please, cease your-"

"Do not try to silence me, Orion! I have had enough of your spinelessness! My Lord will enact-"

Sirius had enough and sent a silencing spell at her which Remus swiftly followed up with a body-bind. Cassiopeia clearly hadn't seen enough blood shed and sent a slicing hex to Walburga's chest, cackling as the fabric tore and her skin was slit slightly. As the blood trailed off of the small wound, Alphard shook his head.

"Did you have to do that, Cass?"

"Look at her! I've been wanting to do that for _years!_ Although, if I had my way, I'd have sent it to her throat." Cassiopeia despaired.

Alphard snickered, "Crazy bitch."

"Sleazy pervert." She sniped.

Grandfather cleared his throat, turning to Andromeda, "I apologise. This was supposed to be a pleasant meal - I do hope Nymphadora will be alright."

Andromeda's neck bobbed at the mention of her daughter, "I shall see to her."

"You may leave, if you wish." Grandfather said, "I do hope this has not put you off of re-joining the family."

Andromeda quirked her lips, "I assure you, it has not. Though I may have to convince Ted that this is a rarity, even for us." She said with a pointed glare at Walburga's still form. She patted Narcissa on the arm, kissing her cheek and whispering to her before she left quickly. Narcissa hurried to do the same, giving Grandfather a desperate look, grabbing for her husband after Grandfather waved her off and allowing her and Lucius to leave. Malfoy seemed completely blindsided by the events and allowed his wife to drag him from the room as she chased after her sister.

Cygnus and Druella were both meekly hiding in the corner, but Druella was wistfully staring at the door her daughters had just disappeared through. "Druella, my dear, you may be excused. Cygnus, _stay."_ Druella didn't spare any of them a second glance, soft blonde hair whipping over her shoulder as she sniffled, rushing to catch up with her children. Cygnus, however, seemed terrified as he gave Lord Black a cautious glance.

"Pollux, Irma. Do you wish to stay?" 

Clearing his throat, Pollux began uncertainly, "I do not wish to question your judgement. However, I implore you to be lenient. Her health is failing her, she is distressed already after losing her sons.. this was simply-"

"A complete overreaction and she had no right to do what she did." Sirius snapped, "Your daughter is an old wretch that's finally going to get what she deserves."

Pollux gritted his teeth at Sirius' interruption and continued beseechingly, "My Lord, I merely wish for you to take her ailed mind into account. She is not well, I see that."

"She has been abusing her children since their birth." James scoffed from where he was still stroking Regulus' hair soothingly, "Unless she's been batty her whole life, she has no excuse."

Irma hissed, "You have no right to be here! This is a family matter."

"As I have said, they _are_ family. These two are more _family_ to my grandsons than any of you. This matter concerns them as much as it concerns me." Grandfather said unimpressedly at her. Irma flushed in embarrassment, ducking her head and allowing Grandfather to continue, "Does anybody else here have any further interruptions?"

"My Lord, please- Father-" Orion began desperately, "I- I understand that what she has done is inexcusable, but I beg of you to be lenient. She is unwell. Send her to a property but she does not- the Familial Magics will-"

"She'll get exactly as she deserves, _Orion."_ Sirius retorted hotly, "If the Familial Magics believe she can be redeemed, they will be lenient. There's no need to fight over this. Grandfather, I defer to you, of course." He added, turning to him and nodding to show respect.

Grandfather nodded, concernedly glancing down at Regulus who was pale and shaky. "Regulus, are you well? I can have an elf escort you to your rooms if you wish."

"I want to st-stay." He croaked. Sirius felt a clenching in his gut at the fragility of his brother's voice, he was still heavily leaning on James. Every so often his cheek muscle would spasm or his fingers would twitch. Remus had since sat beside him again and was stroking his back soothingly while James straightened his hair out. Sirius could still recall the echoes of Regulus' pained wailing and turned back to Walburga with a vicious hunger.

He wanted to see her _suffer._

"As you wish." Grandfather agreed, though it was clear he didn't want Regulus to be here. Clearly, he knew as well as Sirius did that the Familial Magics had been hungering for Walburga's blood and did not wish to distress the boy. He raised an eyebrow at James and Remus, silently asking if they'd like to stay. Pointless though it may be, it was out of propriety more than anything. They all knew there was no way Remus or James would be leaving.

Alphard and Cassie both levelled Grandfather with a look and he merely rolled his eyes. Those two were far too violent to ever miss out on this. Cassie had been open in her dislike of Walburga for years and was openly grinning at the current events. Alphard was more reticent as _technically_ Walburga outranked him in the family and therefore to be openly combative would be to his detriment. Cassiopeia was both older and far more likely to shed blood, hence why Walburga didn't tend to challenge her too often.

"I would suggest we move onwards to the study, but I do not wish to risk my books." Grandfather mused, ignoring the choked noise Irma made or the displeased hitching of Pollux's breath. Orion, the spineless fool that he is, simply acquiesced to his father's will, bowing his head in submission and lingering near the wall as if to hide among the wallpaper.

"Might I suggest, the duelling room?" Sirius said innocently.

Grandfather's eyebrow raised and he hummed. Raising a hand, the doors flew back open.

"You heard my Heir."

Walburga had been neatly floated out by Sirius who had happily taken on the task. If she just so happened to bump into the corners of the halls or the lamps, that wasn't his fault. 

Regulus was still shaky on his feet and was strongly guided by Remus and James. Sirius was glad to allow them to care for his brother for the time being, Sirius would coddle him later. For now, he had to _destroy_ the threat to his brother's safety.

Besides, Remus would certainly never let anything happen to Regulus and James was just the same. He would take care of his brother, he knew. So he could happily enact vengeance with naught a care in the world.

Pollux and Irma were lingering slightly, both clearly not wanting to be here but hoping to appeal to Lord Black's good faith by staying true to the family. Losing Bellatrix had been a blow, but losing Walburga would be even worse. Psychotic bitch or not, she was still their daughter. In contrast, Alphard and Cassiopeia were gaily gliding through the halls, snickering quietly and whispering to each other about the possible outcomes. He'd overheard Cassie wish for disembowelment while Alphard hoped for something more embarrassing like being forced to work in the post office cleaning up owl droppings for the rest of her life. As for Cygnus, he was dragging his feet in the back, looking horrified at his sister's body while Orion kept completely silent as he followed them.

Sirius was glad that Ted had been quick to remove Nymphadora. He may not be the best with children, but seeing her terrified silver eyes (she seemed to really like Regulus) and soft, white-blonde hair in disarray had hurt him. She was his baby cousin and the fact that Walburga had so happily cast the torture curse around her made him sick. Had she no shame? No sense of decency?

A part of the reason he was so angry, was how _quick_ Walburga had been to cast the Cruciatus.

She had cast it on him only twice in his life: The first time was when he came home after his sorting and the second had been the night he ran away. However, Regulus had taken the curse easily and seemed to be unconcerned by his twitching limbs, reassuring a frantic James that it was _normal._

Blazing fury had curled through his veins when he realised that the reason for Regulus' passivity was because he had been under that curse before. Walburga must have used it on him, likely after Sirius ran away to keep Regulus in line. The words Regulus had once said haunted him and he remembered the dread Regulus' words had filled him with. _She was so much worse after you left, Siri_. He hadn't known exactly what he meant - hadn't really wanted to either - but now _he knew._

She had tortured his baby brother. She had hurt him beyond all measures. She had probably sat back in her favourite chair, unconcernedly sipping her wine while Regulus sobbed and begged for mercy.

His hands shook as they entered the duelling room and he dropped her harshly to the ground.

He _needed_ to see her suffer.

The thirst for blood was too great within him and he had to stow his wand. He'd end up throwing the killing curse at her and end this all _far_ too quickly. He wanted to see flesh torn, blood spilled and bones shattered. 

James laid a hand on his elbow as the rest of the family all filed into the room. "You alright, Padfoot?" He asked quietly.

Sirius hummed, "Perfectly fine, James." He turned, noticing Regulus sleepily resting against Remus, "How is he?" He murmured.

With a sad look that flared with heat as he saw Walburga's bound form, James replied. "Not good. He's still weak from the other day. I- I knew she was bad but... how could she do that?" James whispered.

It was then that Sirius realised James had never seen the Unforgiveables in action and that was likely the reason he'd been so worried for Regulus. Sirius himself had known that the few seconds Regulus had been under it wouldn't kill him, but it would definitely have hurt. James however had know prior knowledge of the spells and Sirius grimaced.

"She's insane, Prongs." Sirius shook his head, "I don't know what's wrong with her, honestly. She's fucking mental."

"Doesn't she realise that your grandfather clearly wouldn't stand for this? All of that stuff she was saying about... him.. that's Voldemort, right?" James frowned, "Surely she knows..."

"She doesn't care. She's that far gone." Sirius scoffed, "Crazy old bitch. I'm glad she's finally getting what she deserves."

"I'm worried about what she meant, though." James muttered, "'You'll get what's coming' and 'He knows of your treachery'. Surely she doesn't mean the..." James gave him a meaningful look and Sirius bit his lip.

Gnawing on it in thought, he shook his head, "I don't know, mate. I don't think so. You'd think he would do something if he knew but... it's only a matter of time before he finds out anyway."

"So what do we do?" James asked desperately.

Sirius laid a hand on his forearm, "We take the fight to him before he can come for us. It's the only way."

James' eyes widened and as he went to speak, the double doors slammed closed.

The duelling room was the same room that Sirius had been learning Fiendfyre in and being in here with many family members that he didn't like made him want to cast the curse just for fun. Oh, perhaps he wasn't as fine as he said he was. He'd bring that up later with his pack. They were definitely going to cuddle the life out of Regulus tonight and he had the good sense to mention it then. _Bottling things up was bad_ , he knew.

It was like he could hear a frowning Regulus telling him that in his head.

There were different formations that the room could take and one of those had a spectators gallery. Usually used when family meals went awry and a dispute needed to be settled in blood, or when an honour duel was called. Black chairs were sectioned off by a ward boundary that had been placed by the finest ward masters in the world and they were regularly updated with special blood magics that only the Lord of the House had access to. Sirius, as Heir, had also been taught about them and he had begun adding his own blood to the mix to strengthen them, something Orion had never done as Grandfather didn't trust him with such important matters.

As Grandfather motioned for them to go, the family all carefully moved beyond the barrier, taking their seats. Sirius watched them all go, James sending him a final worried glance as he did so. Remus was still slowly and worriedly guiding Regulus who seemed exhausted. His brother's head would lull every so often and his skin was chalky, eyes slightly unfocused as he fought to stay awake. 

Distantly, Sirius wondered if he was fighting the urge to completely pass out. Merlin knows _he_ had every time he'd been hit with Walburga's Cruciatus. She was crazy, but that only made her deadlier and her ire fuelled the curse - making it liable to give you a heart attack if she held on too long.

Grandfather gave Sirius a look which he returned. There was no way he was hiding behind some barrier. He was staying right here on the little dais that had raised when Grandfather took command of the room. Besides, the Magics loved him - had always loved him. Even more so than Regulus, the Familial Magic of the House of Black _adored_ Sirius and saw him as the perfect Heir. It had always been.. _softer_ with Regulus, soothing and consoling where for Sirius it was electric and intense. Sultry, in a way.

He would not be injured, he knew that. His faith in the Magics was far too great. Regulus could have stayed too, but Remus and James were at risk of backlash. No matter that they were family to Sirius and Regulus both, they were not family by blood. Therefore, they could be devoured if the Magic were hungry enough.

"We shall commence." Grandfather intoned, eyes bright as he looked at the spectators. "This may be gruesome. You may wish to close your eyes."

Sirius felt his spine tingle and he resisted the urge to shiver.

On Lord Black's word, the magic began to gather.

The Familial Magic whispered frantically, searching out the reason they had been called upon. Grandfather raised his hands, gathering the Magics in his palms to greet them, giving them an offering of his blood from where he cut open his palm. Sirius wandlessly did the same, laying his palms out in front of him, giving in to the slight shudder than ran through him as the cool tongues of flames licked at his wound.

Hissing reached his ears as they swarmed around Walburga, having found the source of their Lord and his Heirs ire. They had sensed their anger at the witch on the floor, still tight in Remus' body-bind but her eyes were alert as she watched the two. She was conscious, _delicious._ If there were any furniture nearby, it would likely have exploded as the Magics began to swell.

"I, Lord Arcturus Black III, call upon the ancestors of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Heir Sirius Orion Black has found a member of the House unworthy. To ensure a fair trial, I call for the Familial Magics of the House to enact retribution."

Sirius felt the magic in the air pulse, curiously poking at Walburga to see what this was all about. They had clearly felt that she had done the House a disservice as it thrummed ominously and the magic of Remus' bind and Sirius' silencer broke.

Walburga twisted away from the probing, shakily trying to avoid it's brutal scorn. 

"Any punishment deemed fitting is to be conducted by the Magics of this Noble and Ancient House. There are _no_ limitations." Grandfather added, intently watching Walburga who squealed in pain.

The Magics had clearly deemed her culpable as she flinched violently, head cracking back against the stone flooring. "N-No! I have- have done no wr-wrong!" She insisted. 

Disliking her continued impertinence, the Magics thickened, gathering above her in a visible cloud of stormy grey. It pulsed, circling around her for a moment before surging forward, brutally impacting with her forehead and Walburga howled at the savage ruthlessness of the Black Familial Magics. Sirius cocked his head curiously as a cloud began to grow, brighter in colour and certainly not as ravenously hungering for blood. He wondered what the point of it was then.

The cloud was slowly consolidating, amassing into a thick silvery cloud that flashed an array of colours before it settled. Grandfather looked just as confused as Sirius felt before his eyes suddenly widened and realisation overtook him. Sirius warily eyed the cloud before comprehension dawned on him too and he licked his lips in anticipation.

The Familial Magics wanted to _show_ them all something.

As the colours settled, a series of images appeared before beginning to play out. They were viewing a memory.

_"You are certain?" Walburga's voice reverberated around the room. "It must be done."_

_"Sure, lady. It'll work. Three drops in'o the vic'ims drink, nobody'll know a thin'." A mans gruff voice replied._

_Walburga hummed, a slight satisfaction curling at her lips as she pocketed the small vial._

The cloud warped, images flashing by and they solidified into a new series of images. Sirius spared a glance to the spectators who were all baffled, staring at the images confusedly, trying to put it all together. Regulus seemed much more awake and was staring intently at the cloud with the same desperation he himself felt. Grandfather too seemed confused, but his form was rigid as the new images began to play.

" _One, two, three_." _Walburga whispered, staring down into a small cup of tea. She turned, placing the tea on a tray, swapping it with a different cup before she left the room, that same satisfied look on her face. She then sat in a small parlour that looked oddly familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it._

_As the images continued, a new person appeared, entering the room with poise and a majesty that made his heart ache. "Good morning, Walburga." Melania Black's gentle voice sounded through the room and he heard Grandfather's breath hitch at the image of his wife. A dawning horror was filling Sirius as a tea tray appeared and Sirius watched as Melania ignorantly took the drink, sipping daintily. "Ah, my favourite. Thank you, Walburga. I apologise, I just had to send that owl off to Artie, he always worries."_

Sirius knew why the parlour was familiar. It was a very small and very rarely used parlour within Grimmauld Place, near the family rooms but was often considered too small and homely to be used for anyone else. Sirius could remember the many times he and Regulus would sit in there to do the work their governess had set them. He wondered why Melania and Walburga were even meeting, they had never liked each other.

_"You are quite welcome, Melania." Walburga gave that fake smile she had perfected, "Always a pleasure to see you. I shall miss you greatly."_

_"Miss me, dear?" Melania asked, sill sipping. Her expression cleared of confusion, "Oh, of course. Artie and I shall be in Sweden next week. I had forgotten."_

_"Of course." Walburga agreed, tilting her head. The woman's expression was hard as ice and just as frigid as she watched Melania finish her tea. The moment she set the cup aside, Walburga cleared her throat. "I am sorry, Melania. I am not feeling well. I shall have to retire early."_

_"Oh, of course dear. Rest well. Would you like me to take the boys for the evening?" Melania asked smoothly with a fake look of concern in her eyes, "I would be more than happy to."_

_Sirius saw Walburga's eyes flash, her hands clenched and her smile became more forced. "That is quite alright. They are already up in their rooms."_

_"Really? May I say goodnight to them?" Melania asked, making it clear that either she allowed her to do so or she would do it anyway. "I have missed my grandchildren greatly." Her voice was so warm and soft, it made Sirius' heart ache._

_"They shall miss you too, I believe." Walburga said, "Next week, I mean."_

_Sirius' stomach curled as Melania suddenly frowned, raising a hand to her head as she swayed slightly in place. "I- I must apologise. Tell them I will see them later. I- I have presents for them both, tell them. I do not feel very well."_

_Walburga watched as Melania left through the floo, sauntering back up to the parlour and picking the cup up, smiling down at the scattered leaves. She called for Kreacher, asking him to destroy the cup in the fire and forbidding him from mentioning it to anyone. Kreacher frowned, looking uncertain but a swift slicing hex to his ear causing him to squeak and disappear with the china teacup._

The memory disappeared, floating up into the cloud and Sirius blinked the tears out of his eyes as he looked down at Walburga. 

"You murdered my wife?" Grandfather breathed. He stared down at Walburga with a disgusted horror. "As Lord Black I _command_ you to speak the truth. Why did you murder my darling Melania?" He croaked, hands shaking as he watched Walburga's face contort with rage.

"She stole my sons! She kept trying to steal my sons!" Walburga shrieked, "I should have bled her dry! She was lucky I was merciful."

Grandfather raised his wand, _"Avada-"_

Sirius rushed forward, "No!" Grandfather turned to him with a furious gaze, "Let the Magics continue! They aren't finished. They'll make her suffer!" Sirius pleaded. "I want her dead as much as you do. Let her _suffer."_ He said again, sternly.

Sirius could see Regulus crying in the gallery and Orion seemed horrified. Sirius could understand that, finding out that your mother's death had been orchestrated by your wife can't be easy. The rest of the family seemed stumped but Cassiopeia looked just as riotous as Grandfather and distantly he remembered that the two women had been fairly close. Cassiopeia had seen her as an older sister of sorts and the woman had mourned her almost as hard as Grandfather.

The cloud flared again as if in thanks for Sirius' interruption. He was right, that Magics were not done yet. 

Images flew by and it turned into an odd amalgamation of events. He saw himself as a very young child, a baby really, being ignored and shoved into an elf's arms. Then he saw his young, toddler self being slapped harshly or flinching away from stinging hexes aimed at his chubby tummy. More and more events appeared, little Regulus' birth just days after Orion had asked Walburga to _please stop drinking, it isn't good for the baby_. To which, Walburga had snapped, _the Heir has already been assured, why should I care about the substitute we will not need_. Because a spare was only needed if the Heir failed, and Walburga Black would _not_ fail. 

Little Regulus, tiny and precious, being ignored. His cheeks which ought to be plump with baby fat having hollowed over time and Sirius whimpered at the tiny, toddler version of his little brother. He looked so worn and beaten down he didn't understand how anybody could have allowed it. As they grew older, the memories became more violent. Walburga opening the linen cupboard door to Regulus, passed out and utterly still as she poked at him to check he wasn't dead before rolling her eyes and calling for Kreacher to _take the whelp to his room_. 

Sirius, roughly five, being knocked flying backwards into the wall and hitting his head harshly as Walburga hissed that _muggles are not like us, Sirius, you would do well to remember that_. Regulus, still so tiny, sniffling in the corner and Walburga turned to him, aiming a hex that Sirius threw himself in front of, taking the caning spell for him. 

Mere months later, Regulus was whimpering as their elf Liddy was dying. She had been so old, frail and weak in her last few days. Regulus had built her a nest in the cupboard, stroking her little head as she slowly fell apart. It showed Walburga storming in and demanding to know why Regulus was _snivelling._ He only turned to her, wide eyed and desperate as he asked her to help the poor elf. Walburga scoffed, sending a cutting spell to the elf's throat and ignoring as Regulus shrieked and tried to close the wound with his hands, holding the torn skin closed. The memory ended as a young Sirius entered, confused as to why Regulus was crying so hard when he didn't seem injured.

It changed again. Sirius was still fairly young but old enough that he was already showing his hatred of Walburga. His eyes were disdainful as he stared at her over the table at Black Manor. Melania was happily chatting with Regulus who was excitedly asking about the new wool types she had bought recently in Diagon Alley. Melania gave them both loving looks, stroking their cheeks and assuring them that she would show them after lunch. Sirius saw his younger self lean into the touch while little Regulus giggled with red cheeks.

He watched as Walburga's lips tightened and her cheeks flushed with rage at the way the woman was mothering her children. He saw as Walburga followed them silently, seeing the way Sirius lit up and Regulus became so much more animated with this _other_ woman. Not their _real_ mother. She watched as this other woman tricked her children, trying to make them love her as if _she_ was their mother and not Walburga. She continued to hatch a plan, combing through books to find an undetectable poison. Disappointments or not, they were _her_ sons. She had to be rid of the threat.

Because Walburga knew that if Melania continued to live, she would take her sons away and raise them differently. _(That she would raise them right.)_

The memories continued, showing Walburga in the parlour, observing the family tapestry. She had stayed awake that night, monitoring the tapestry, wanting to be the first to know. As the tapestry glowed softly, that _woman's_ image greying and a death date appearing beside her birth date, Walburga leaned back with a deep satisfaction before throwing her head back in a maddened cackle.

A grey swirl showed as Walburga stood at Melania's funeral, hands curled possessively over both of her sons shoulders as she watched the mourners and Melania's coffin was entombed. A small smile curled at her lips as she dug her nails into _her_ boy's shoulders. 

They continued further, showing her continued abuse of the boys. Sirius growing taller and stronger, beginning to fight back harder while Regulus (although growing older) stayed small and meek, nodding and acquiescing to her wishes. Then it showed her fury at Sirius' sorting, screeching about Gryffindor scum and blood traitors. Regulus uncertainly asked what was wrong and she turned her fury on him, firing the Cruciatus at this tiny version of Regulus who shrieked in agony, begging her to stop. Sirius clenched his jaw as he watched the rest of the year fly by in an array of little Regulus crying as she punished him.

Sirius' return showed the same treatment but she was _gentler_ in a way. She knew he was the Heir and therefore could not risk actually damaging his mind by doing it too often. It didn't stop her from torturing Regulus however. Bludgeoning hexes and slicing spells were a constant for him throughout the years, he knew, but he had never thought she was so cruel to Regulus that she used the Cruciatus when he was that young.

His brother was so small and he saw a first hand view of Regulus, roughly fifteen, sniffling and crying into his pillow as Walburga lingered in the doorway. _Siri, siri, siri._ Regulus kept whimpering, sobbing over Sirius who felt his heart ache at the loss in Regulus' voice. _He has abandoned you, my son_. Walburga was crooning, soft and manipulative as she ran her hands through his hair, _Never fear, I have a way to fix it, sweetheart._

Regulus blinked up at her, eyes swimming with tears and confusion, _How can I help you, Mother?_

Walburga smiled, patting his cheek, _You will become the Dark Lord's most faithful, my dear. You wish to make your mother proud, don't you? Else I won't be very happy, Regulus. You understand why I hurt you earlier, don't you?_

 _I was bad,_ Regulus sniffled, _you don't want to lose me like you did with Sirius_.

 _Good boy,_ she whispered and leaned in to kiss his forehead, _do me proud Regulus, or you will not like the consequences_. Her nails were digging in painfully to Regulus' cheek but to Sirius' pride he only tensed slightly before nodding.

Sirius wanted to spit on her she was so foul. How dare she manipulate and threaten Regulus like that? Who did she think she was?

Then the memories slowed, showing Walburga's fury at Sirius being made Heir and returning to the family. He saw the hatred in her eyes as she saw Regulus curling closer to him, infuriated at the loss of her spare son. Her mind was racing and he saw multiple dream scenarios with Sirius dead and Regulus coming home to her. Clearly, Sirius was lost to her. She knew she had no hope with him. But Regulus.. soft and gentle.. she could work with that.

Then, he saw something more recent. It was Walburga outside a dark pub that he recognised from a foray into Knockturn Alley as a child. He had gotten turned around and luckily his Uncle Alphard had spotted him, taking him away from where he had been curiously peeking into the window of the pub and gawking at the patrons.

The White Wyvern was a grimy place and only frequented by those of questionable moral standing. It was odd, most purebloods stayed far away from the place, so he wondered why Walburga was there. She ducked inside, hidden beneath a thick cloak.

Walburga took up residence in the darkest corner of the pub, declining a drink and waiting impatiently. Another cloaked figure appeared, sitting opposite her. The other witch was moving her hands along the table with the same refined elegance as Walburga and he knew she too was a pureblood.

_"They are up to something, I believe." Walburga began, "The bear has them on some kind of mission."_

_The other witch hummed, "That is unsurprising." Her voice was cloaked, but Sirius already had a very good inkling as to who she was._

_"It has something to do with why the lion left. He would never have left me." Walburga insisted. "If I could bring him away from the dog, I could teach him properly. I could rectify our situation."_

_"You have been saying that for years." The other witch hissed. "You were certain S- the dog-" She spat, "-would stay within the family. The lion leaving was only a matter of time. They've always been close." Her voice sounded odd at that, reluctantly fond or begrudgingly admiring in a way. Perhaps with a strike of bitter jealousy, as if she too had someone she had once been so close with but had lost._

_Walburga shook her head, "It is different this time. I have an assured way..." Her voice trailed off, "He would be mine again. The dog may suffer, do what you wish with him. But the lion is mine. I can fix him."_

_"You do not think you can fix the dog?" The witch seemed curious._

_"He is too far gone." She seethed, "It is that blood traitors fault. Him and all of his lowborn friends. They tainted my Heir!" She hissed. "If I thought it would work, I would. Our Lord himself knows the dog would be the more favourable option. He has always been considerably powerful." Her voice was slightly prideful._

_Hissing, the other witch paused as if scowling at Walburga, "Well he's gone. So what does it matter?"_

_"It doesn't. My point is that the lion has not been completely ruined. I can fix him."_

_The other witch shifted as if she was rolling her eyes, "Yes, indeed. Now, are you certain? My Lord will not allow a traitor to live. If you are not completely certain..."_

_"It will work! I have scoured the globe for these ingredients." She said assuredly, "All it would require is one dosage. After that, he will be mine forever. Nothing will break him out of my control."_

_The witch leaned forward interestedly, "Like the Imperius?" She asked quietly._

_"Better." Walburga replied, "It does not require anything more than the ingestion of the dose. No recasting needed. He will listen to every command and do exactly as I say. The potion is almost complete."_

_The other witch tittered, "Oh? And how do you plan to slip it to him?"_

_"Easily." She smiled, "After all, I've done it before." She said mysteriously but everyone watching the memory knew she was referring to the way she murdered Melania Black._

_Humming, the other witch conceded. "You may keep your secrets. But I will not go easy on the dog. I will decorate my home with his innards." She promised. "If you fail, I shall do the same to your precious little lion."_

_"There will be no need." Walburga assured, "If for some reason I should fail, you may have them both. They will be useless to me if they refuse to listen."_

_"They're already doing that. There is talk that Re- the lion has been dallying with a half-blood." She revealed._

_Walburga hissed, "Lies. He would never. And if he has, his filthy brother has ruined his mind. You will allow me this, I assure you, it will work."_

_The other witch nodded, one dark, sleek curl falling forward that she hastily tucked back under her hood. "Very well." She said, before taking her leave._

The memories turned again to this day. He saw her anger at seeing Remus and James which duplicated upon seeing Andromeda and her family. Walburga continued to simmer with rage but watched silently with satisfaction as Regulus sipped his pumpkin juice. Hungrily watching as he frowned slightly down at the goblet before continuing.

Sirius' heart raced as he watched Regulus finish his cup and it was at that moment that Walburga smirked slightly before clearing her throat, gathering their attention on her.

The cloud shuddered before disappearing and Sirius' heart was in his throat. He hastily turned to Regulus who was ashen as he stared at where the cloud had been before meeting Sirius' eyes tearfully. 

That had been utterly foul. The names were clever, but not very original. It was definitely Bellatrix that had been across from Walburga, nobody else could pant and moan the words _'my lord'_ the way she could.

"You vile bitch." Sirius breathed, "You murdered Grandmother because she actually gave a damn about us! Then you- you what? Plot to control Regulus like he's your fucking property?"

"You murdered my wife out of _jealousy?"_ Grandfather bellowed, "You would see this family destroyed! If it were up to you, this family would be nothing more than your slaves, all acting as extras in your own pantomime! You are _beyond_ saving." He said, voice darkening as Walburga began to splutter her responses.

"She was a thief! A dirty thief! How dare she try and take my sons!" Walburga cried, "You! Foul _waste_ of my flesh! You ruined my good son! Both of you should have been stillborn!"

Sirius shook his head disgustedly as Grandfather raised his hands. "I ask for the Familial Magics of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to issue their penalty! Walburga Irma Black, you are now under judgement as decreed by the Lord of House Black." Any remorse he may have had for her had disappeared upon learning that she was the reason for his wife's death and seeing her actually abusing his grandsons had clearly set his resolve further.

"Seconded by the Heir of House Black." Sirius followed up Grandfather's declaration as Walburga began to shriek incoherently.

The gallery were all generally silent. Most of them seemed to stupefied by the shocking revelations and horrific child abuse that they'd witnessed to really give a reaction. Some, like Cassie and Alphard, were more than satisfied and happily watching the proceedings while others seemed too horrified to do much more than gape and blink.

Walburga's body was still flat on the floor and she contorted oddly, jerking in place as her body twisted, writhing in agony. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and Sirius was slightly sickened when the skin of her lips cracked, blood leaking down the sides of her mouth as her jaw was stretched it it's limits. Her ears began slowly leaking blood and as she sobbed, her tears were crimson.

Shrieking, she trembled, limbs held in place against the stone as her torso was savaged, torn open as if by a werewolf and he wondered if Remus' presence had affected that. Her throat was exposed as her jaw continued to stretch, a cut appearing across the skin of her jugular at a leisurely pace that made her sob even harder. Sirius watched as she contorted more in pain and he assumed something must have been happening internally, screaming one final time as the Magics suddenly covered her completely, thick black drapery falling over her body in a whirl of cloaking shadows. 

Grandfather tilted his head back. Sirius looked at him confusedly, "Is she dead?"

"No." Grandfather narrowed his eyes at the mass of black, "I believe she is still being punished. Perhaps what the Magics have chosen for her is too ghastly for pleasant company. I shall consult them in a moment."

Sirius blinked, "Oh." He said disappointedly, "Can I at least piss on her grave? I'm still not quite satisfied."

Grandfather snorted, "As if she'll be _getting_ a grave."

"True. She deserves no resting place. Oh!" He grinned, "Want to go to the beach and throw her body in the ocean?"

Grandfather blinked slowly, "Perhaps... or we could take what remains to a nice cave by the seaside." He mused.

Sirius beamed, "I like that!"

A sob came from the gallery and Sirius turned. He had honestly forgotten about the spectators. 

The wailing was coming from Irma who hand a handkerchief pressed against her face. Her husband's arm was wrapped around her consolingly but his face was hard, a solemn acceptance across his features as he tried to calm his wife. Cygnus was openly gaping and had a look of horror across his face as he stared at the shadowy black mass on the stone flooring that writhed every so often.

Cassie was grinning, eyes alight as she stared at the blood staining the ground. Alphard seemed slightly off put by the violent display but certainly did not seem upset over his sister's demise. Remus looked fairly unconcerned, not exactly elated in the way Cassiopeia was, but he seemed satisfied that Walburga Black had been removed as a threat. James too had a satisfied glint in his eyes though his jaw was clenched. Unsurprising, James hadn't seen much actual violence in his life.

Regulus seemed utterly distraught. Not for Walburga, but from the awful memories they had seen. His body was still thin and pale, withdrawn in a way that always made Sirius ache.

"Puppy." He murmured, hurrying over to the gallery. "Puppy." He said again, reaching a hand towards his brother.

Regulus' eyes were like molten silver as they looked dolefully at him. "Grandmother... Sirius... she-" He sniffled, "She _killed_ her." Regulus whispered, "H-How could she do that?"

Sirius wrapped him in his arms, "Because she's evil. Pure evil."

"You don't have to worry about her any longer." Regulus murmured into his ear, "She's gone now, Siri."

"You... aren't upset?"

Regulus sniffled but shook his head from where it was pressed against his chest, "No. She.. she's not our mother. She never was. I meant what I said earlier, she is nothing to us."

"Quite right." Grandfather murmured as he came closer, he turned to the rest of the remaining family. "That goes for all of you. She is nothing to us anymore. The Familial Magics have not seen fit to end her suffering just yet and I believe she will be spared."

Sirius turned to him angrily but Grandfather raised a hand. 

"Her magic is forfeit."

Irma choked again, sobbing loudly into her handkerchief. Cygnus stepped forward cautiously, "Y-You mean, her Familial Magic?"

"Technically, her magic did not change too drastically when she married Orion. She was a Black at birth and still a Black after marriage." Grandfather replied smoothly, "However. The Familial Magics have decided the most devastating punishment for her would be to live as a squib. She shall be sent to a property to live out the rest of her days in solitude. She will heal physically in time and from there, she will continue as a nobody. You are all forbidden from seeing her."

"She is my daughter!" Irma begged, "At least allow me to-"

"No." Grandfather snapped. "She is nothing. No longer is she Walburga Black. She will be known by another name. I do not care which. I shall have an elf choose one for her, I do not care."

"A-An elf?" Pollux asked aghast, "Could we not at least rename her ourselves?"

"No." He said shortly, "No longer is she your daughter. You are forbidden from giving her any aid or contact. She is now a mere memory to this family. An old ghost that has finally been exorcised."

"Or perhaps a rather ghastly stain we were finally able to remove." Cassie grinned wickedly.

"More like a creature that's been lurking in the attic for decades." Sirius murmured under his breath.

Pollux sent him a look, ignoring his sister, before turning back to Grandfather, lips pressed together. "As you wish, Lord Black."

"It is the same as with the one before her, she has been banished from this family. All of her titles, holdings and such will be reverted back to me. From there, I will divide her assets accordingly. None of you are to speak of this with anyone else. If you do so, I will not hold back. I am tired of having to repeat myself in this family." Grandfather scowled. "Clearly, I have little patience for insolence. Anybody else deemed in breach of their vows will be judged similarly to the woman once known as Walburga Black."

Irma looked ready to make a nasty comment but Pollux held her back, "Lord Black, may we be excused?"

Grandfather waved a careless hand, doing the same when Cygnus stuttered his own request to leave. Orion cautiously approached, "M-My Lord Black, might I-"

"You should count yourself lucky, Orion." Grandfather snapped, staring down at his son with disdain. "I did not see you injuring these boys, nor have they given any indication that you behaved similarly to your ex-wife. I want you gone from this home, you are only to return on my word. We have things to discuss. Begone." He said and Orion, though upset, hastily nodded and left the room, sending a last glance at his sons.

James let out a breath, "That was pleasant."

"Fools." Grandfather sneered. "Utter imbeciles."

"You can say that again." Cassiopeia snickered, "Honestly. Who does Irma think she is?"

Alphard grinned, "She forgets herself, Cass. Perhaps you'll have a new plaything."

Cassiopeia's eyes lit up and she turned to Remus appraisingly, "I saw you with that curse. You're good with your wand, dear."

"He's brilliant." Regulus said softly, "Moony's ace at Defense. He can take on James and Sirius in a duel at once."

"Doesn't always win though." Sirius added hastily.

Remus rolled his eyes, "That's only because you like to throw as many Dark Arts spells as you can to see what sticks."

Cassiopeia grinned, "Would you like to become my protégé?" She beamed, leering at James. "That goes for you too, gorgeous. I've always wanted a pretty boy with a fine respect for Transfiguration under my tutelage."

Sirius' eyebrows raised. "James and I are going into Auror training."

"You forget that I'm still a respected witch!" Cassie scolded, "Under my instruction, you shall best all your peers."

Remus nodded slowly, "Might I think about it?"

"Well I wouldn't take you seriously if you didn't." She sniffed, giving Regulus a much gentler smile. "Dear, I have a few dozen photographs and many stories to match of your grandmother. Why don't we have tea sometime?"

Regulus smiled gratefully, "Thank you Auntie. D-Do, um, do you happen to know the potion-"

Cassie waved her hand, "Oh, of course. It's a very old, very Dark and very difficult potion to brew. Gathering the ingredients must have taken her all year."

"But Regulus drank it, didn't he?" James panicked. "We need to do something!"

Alphard grimaced, "Walburga is no longer an issue, perhaps the potion only works if the brewer is alive and well enough to give instructions."

"Incorrect." Cassiopeia corrected, "The potion will work regardless, linking them eternally to the first person to give the victim an order. If, say, Sirius had asked Regulus to hand him a drink, he would be under Sirius' instruction for life."

Sirius blanched, "S-So what do we do?"

"That is no issue." Grandfather hummed, "Regulus did not drink the potion."

Remus blinked, "But.. in the memory-"

"Regulus?" Grandfather probed, turning to the boy.

Regulus bit his lip, "I- I don't think I did. Walburga told me to- I mean she _gave_ me orders. She told me to stop but I- I didn't. There's no way I was under the influence of the potion or else I would have done as she said."

"So, what happened?" James frowned.

"Before the meal, I had all of the elves check the food." Grandfather began. "However, I am uncertain as to how she managed to slip the potion into his drink. They should have checked the goblets and I am quite certain they did. Although, as we saw, Regulus _should_ have drank the potion, but somehow he did not manage to ingest it." 

They were all confusedly trading looks, some looking pointedly at Regulus as if he knew the answer or would suddenly begin firing hexes like Walburga's precious little murderer. As they began to frown harder, a soft pop sounded and Sirius looked down at the elf that appeared. Kreacher blinked up at them, looking mightily nervous. He was twisting his hands and every so often he would pinch his own ear sharply.

"Kreacher?" Regulus asked softly. "Are you okay, my friend?"

The elf suddenly threw himself at Regulus' feet. _"Oh!_ Oh Kreacher's sweet, kind Master Regulus. Such a gentle Master. Kreacher could not allow- no he could not!"

Sirius gaped, "Kreacher? Did you do something?"

"Oh, Kreacher should have known! He knew his Mistress was not well - he should have _known!_ Poor, sweet Master Regulus-"

"Kreacher." Grandfather's voice snapped the elf out of his wailing and he straightened at once. "Tell me what happened."

"Mistress be disturbed in the mind! She was not well, oh yes. Kreacher sees she be planning something with Kreacher's sweet Master Regulus. Kreacher be following her and sees what she be doing. She be changing drinks at dinner, oh yes."

"Changing?" Alphard frowned, "She placed the drink in another goblet first.. and switched them?" He asked after a moments thought.

"Oh yes!" Kreacher nodded animatedly. "She be poisoning herself! Kreacher thought she be unwell, but when dinner starts she be changing the goblets, yes she did!"

Cassiopeia tilted her head, "That is quite brilliant. I doubt you informed the elves to check _her_ food."

"No. It is why I insisted on the seating plan changing." Grandfather grumbled. "I had them check all of the guests she was liable to hurt. I did not think..."

"She be clever!" Kreacher said anxiously, "Kreacher be seeing her poisoning Kreacher's Master Regulus! Kreacher could not... Kreacher should not have! But he could not allow it, Master Black! Master Regulus be too good." He wept, "Kreacher be taking any punishment!"

"No!" Regulus cried, "Kreacher, my friend, you are not in trouble." He insisted, leaning down to pat his head. 

"You did very well, Kreacher." Sirius added. 

"Yeah! You saved Regulus' life." James grinned.

Remus smiled down at him, "We are very lucky to have you around, Kreacher."

"Although," Alphard mused, "I am curious. How did you know she only swapped Regulus' cup?"

"K-Kreacher be knowing Mistress be angry with Master Regulus. Kreacher be checking everyone, but he knew Master Regulus was at risk. Master Black did not order it and Kreacher sh-should have been cleaning the dishes... but K-Kreacher could not! Kreacher abandoned his tasks! Ignored Master's wishes, he did!" He turned to Grandfather with a repentant look on his face, "K-Kreacher will do anything Master! P-Please, no giving Kreacher c-c-cloth-"

"Nonsense!" Grandfather boomed with a respectful nod, "Kreacher. You did the right thing. You saved my grandson from a life of servitude. I am very proud to have you as an elf in the service of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." He nodded again, extending his arm out to shake the elf's little hand. "Your ancestors would be proud."

Kreacher stared, eyes wide before he howled. Wailing desperately, he threw himself into a deep bow. His sobbing made it difficult to understand him, but the weeping did not mask his prideful glee at being complimented in such a manner by the Lord of his House.

James stared down at Kreacher for a moment before shaking his head, "You Blacks." 

"Bloody insane." Remus breathed.

The Blacks in the room all shared looks.

Well, they weren't _wrong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. I hope you all enjoyed!!
> 
> Walburga murdered sweet Granny Melania because she knew she would steal her boys (and treat them right)  
> How was that?? Did you like??
> 
> I was very tempted to make Walburga have a very long, gruesome death. But I feel like for her, living the rest of her days as a muggle (perhaps Squib would be more accurate) would be the ultimate punishment for her.
> 
> Also, again, I'm so sorry about the messy update schedule :( I'm really trying.. ahh!!


	37. The Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James is scared of witches, Regulus is silly, Remus is disapproving and Sirius attempts to destroy the Horcruxes, but will he succeed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's quite wolfy oops!
> 
> Sorry about the delay - but here we are!
> 
> Also, please excuse any mistakes! I haven't edited this properly yet.

When all had settled, the pack had immediately split before converging in Sirius' bedroom.

Sirius had gone to prepare his bedroom while Regulus himself had gone to get everyone's essentials while James and Remus pestered the elves for snacks. Purposefully mentioning how they had missed dessert and Regulus had been _injured,_ causing the little elves to shriek and rush around in their haste to correct this _awful_ situation.

As they all entered Sirius' bedroom, they'd not said a word as they all climbed into Sirius' bed which he had extended to ensure they'd all fit as comfortably as possible.

Silently, they all cuddled, nuzzling into each other and allowing themselves a short nap.

When they all awoke roughly an hour later, Regulus had immediately said he felt better. And he had. His back was still stiff and every so often he'd get an odd ache or his muscles would spasm and his joints would lock for a moment, but overall he was _fine._

Upon seeing the dubious expressions before him, Regulus had called for Kreacher to bring a potion which had apparently been unnecessary as Madam Pomfrey had been summoned to check him over. Honestly, Regulus was beginning to think she had some kind of monitor charm on him - she seemed to always appear when he was injured.

They'd stayed in Sirius' room while she tutted and pursed her lips, scowling fiercely. _I've just finished healing you and you go and get hurt again!_ Regulus had huffed, saying this time it was _most certainly not his fault_ and Walburga was clearly to blame. She had glared before tutting to herself, smiling slightly as she gave them her condolences on their _loss._

Sirius had started laughing madly in the corner while Regulus just stared. Apparently, Grandfather had been the one to call her and had seen fit to tell her the news. She had not seemed very upset, giving them a bright smile before she left and only leaving instructions for the new course of potions he was on. Regulus pouted, he was sick of blasted potions.

Remus hadn't seemed to upset, kissing his frown away and ignoring the indignant spluttering from his tiny boyfriend. _Don't mope, you'll get wrinkles_. 

Idiot. Regulus didn't know _why_ he loved him.

James had been sad for most of the evening. Frowning at both Black brothers and glaring petulantly at the wall as if the plaster had wronged him. Sirius had chewed his cheek, sharing a glance with Regulus before carefully broaching the topic with James.

"It's not right." James whispered, turning to them both. "What she.. what that woman did to you both. For all those years."

Remus swallowed, looking between them and jutting his chin out as Regulus gave him a slightly betrayed look. "We knew it was bad but.. to see it..."

"Yeah, well." Sirius shrugged, "We _lived_ it. I get that it's not very nice. But that's just how it is. How it was, I should say. The old cunt is as good as dead."

"It's still important." James insisted, "You're both.. that was _foul._ Fucking horrible, honestly. I knew she was a nasty old bitch but.. you were both so young." He whispered hoarsely.

Remus hummed, "It is important. Padfoot, we can't just sweep this under the rug."

Regulus felt like this may be a good time to mention what he had been meaning to bring up for a while. "Actually," He began cautiously, "I've.. well I wanted to speak about this earlier but I didn't feel like there was ever a right time. I- I've made an appointment with a mind healer."

Sirius looked at him with utter betrayal, "What?"

"Listen." Regulus said sternly, resting a hand on his brother's. "I didn't mean to hide this from you. But I wanted to go to the initial assessment on my own. Madam Pomfrey suggested the best mind healer she knew and she said it may even be beneficial for us to go together."

With a gentle grin, Remus nodded happily. "That's excellent, love!"

"That's brilliant." James breathed, already looking lighter. "I've heard about mind healing. My dad went for a while, said it did him a world of good."

Sirius looked at him confusedly, "Really?" His voice held a note of pure confusion which Regulus could understand. Fleamont Potter did not seem as if he were troubled enough to need mind healing, but he supposed that was a wrong assumption of his. You could never really tell what someone was going through, could you?

"Oh, yeah." James looked sheepish, "Dad had some.. issues.. from Grindelwald's reign and all the aftermath. Mum said it was around the time they were struggling to conceive and so he got really depressed for a while. Started having pretty bad breakdowns." He shrugged.

"Should you be telling us this?" Regulus asked cautiously, feeling an uncomfortable feeling in his gut.

"It's not really private." James shrugged. "Dad actually wanted to talk to you lot about it. He told me a while back and when I mentioned Sirius' home issues, he mentioned mind healing to help you recover. We would have mentioned it when you ran away but you were still.. well.. not in the best place." 

"Can say that again." Sirius muttered before turning to Regulus, "We could go together?" He asked uncertainly.

"We can. I want us to, actually. If you wouldn't mind. I think.. I mean I love you Siri and I've forgiven you but a-" He paused, biting his lip. "A part of me feels like I'm always on edge around you."

"What?" Sirius breathed, utter devastation in his eyes. "Y-You're _scared_ of me?"

"No!" Regulus hissed, "Never _of_ you. I'm scared- terrified really, that you'll l-leave me again. I- I get so scared and sometimes I wake up thinking I'm back there and y-you're _gone."_

"I would never." Sirius whispered, shaking his head.

Regulus nodded with a sad smile, "I know. I do, I know that. But it's hard. I think.. I think we _need_ this. For us."

"For us." Sirius repeated in a whisper. "We can do this together, yeah?"

"Of course." Regulus grinned, nudging his side. "Speak to Grandfather, he'll help make the arrangements. I- I'm proud of you, Siri."

"Not as proud as I am of you. Bloody hell Reg, where do I start? Telling that hag to her face-" He broke off, shaking his head in amazement.

"That was fucking _awesome."_ James gushed. "You were so-"

"Beautiful." Remus grinned.

Sirius wrinkled his nose, "You always have to be sappy. He was wicked! Not- Not-"

"Sexy." Remus winked, voice husky.

Regulus giggled, leaning forward to kiss Remus' nose. "Love you."

"Love you more." Remus whispered, kissing his cheek.

"Don't think I didn't see what you did, Moony my dear. That was pretty Dark."

Remus only gave a feral grin, "Nobody hurts my wizard."

Sirius gagged. "You two make me _sick."_

"Shut it." James smacked his head, "They're precious." He cooed.

Gagging again, Sirius scrunched his face up. "You're only saying that 'cause you miss your ginger."

"Oi! Stop calling her that." James smacked at him but his face went slack at the mention of Lily. "I do miss my flower, though."

Regulus frowned, "Why don't you go and see her? The dinner's over and although Grandfather will probably reschedule so that we can have one meal without a bloody ruckus, you'll have time to see her."

"Imagine if we could bring her along." Sirius snickered.

Remus raised his eyebrow, "The only way someone is invited along to a Black family-only event is if they're involved with a Black. If James is still your plus-one, we'd have to let someone else bring Lily."

"No!" James scowled. "She's _my_ witch."

"We could always have Sirius bring her." Regulus said, grinning cheekily. "I'm sure both know of a Black witch who would be _more_ than pleased to escort the young, handsome, talented and _oh-so-delicious_ James Potter." Regulus purred.

James groaned, pressing his hands to his face. "She's bloody mental!"

"I can't believe Aunt Cassie practically fell in love with you." Sirius snickered. "You'd better be careful. The last man she actually fell in love with had a wooden stake driven through his heart."

Remus gaped, "Why?"

"Cheated on her." Regulus shrugged, "She thought it would be poetic. He had broken her heart, so she drove a foot-long piece of wood through his."

Shaking his head, Remus sighed. "You Blacks really are something."

"She won't hurt me, will she?" James' jaw trembled. "She terrifies me a little bit."

"Nah." Sirius waved a hand, "Won't hurt Lils either. She's mostly joking anyway."

"Well, no, she isn't." Regulus corrected, "She'd be more than happy to eat you for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But she's not going to do something nefarious. She just likes to poke fun. Especially with you, you give great reactions."

"But.. she _has_ actually killed people." James frowned. "She seems like the type to kill people that reject her." He added wearily, looking around cautiously as if Cassie would appear with a jar to store his brain and a rusty knife.

Sirius shrugged, "She's not really. Cassie's mental, but not that insecure. She's only liable to kill you if you do her wrong."

Remus nodded, "How very kind of her."

"She liked you too." Regulus pointed out before frowning petulantly. "Tried to steal _my_ wizard."

Remus purred, "Naught to worry about."

Sirius gagged, "Merlin. You two are nauseating. James, snog me, make me feel better."

Laughing, James smacked at him. "Been there, done that."

Remus and Regulus froze, turning to them both in shock. "What?" They both demanded at the same time. James continued to laugh while Sirius began loudly recounting how Aunt Cassie had recently caused a scandal and has thusly been banished from the country she had been visiting (Sirius couldn't remember whether it was Austria, Germany or Switzerland). How he managed to confuse them, Regulus didn't know.

He knew Sirius was only mentioning this to distract them, but Regulus found himself entranced. Supposedly, Cassie had gotten involved with the son of the current President and when she was discovered in his bed (after the man's wife had walked in on them) Cassie had reacted rather poorly. 

After all, as Cassie had stated, she would not be someone's dish on the side.

She had been promptly banished from the country, adding it to her list of places ' _Cassiopeia cannot go to_ '. Which, was an important list for everyone. Supposedly a friend of Cassie's had needed to either arrange a security escort for Cassiopeia or have the wedding somewhere else as she had been barred entry to America after upsetting _their_ President by throwing a live plucked chicken in his face. (He didn't know what the man had done to deserve it, but Cassie always laughed ridiculously loudly whenever anyone so much as mentioned feathers or, oddly, boiled eggs.)

Hm, now that he thought about it, that second part was probably because of the whole fiasco where she removed a woman's eye and fed it to her husband. In all fairness, Cassie was very good at Transfiguration and she'd made the eye look like a perfect boiled egg.

Although, in this most recent incident in the country that Sirius-could-not-remember, Regulus could see how her cutting off three of the President's son's fingers could cause an issue. 

Probably didn't help that she then made them into a necklace to send to his wife.

Judging by the rather embarrassing divorce that followed, he doubted the _(ex)_ wife much cared and probably fed the digits to her dog or something.

Regulus found himself shaking his head. Cassie was one _bizarre_ witch, but she certainly trumped them all in the ' _most entertaining stories_ ' category. He himself had been regaled with the tale of her throwing Molotov cocktails at some lieutenant of Grindelwald's from back in the day. Purely because she had hated how loud he was being, not that he was spewing Grindelwald's propaganda at the restaurant they'd been in. Bigotry she could excuse, but don't you dare ruin her evening with your incessant noise.

Content to lean back and let Sirius desperately try to distract them, Regulus snuggled closer to Remus and listened to his brother's soothing voice as James choked around a jelly slug.

Grandfather had summoned them all down the day of the full moon.

Remus had been an anxious mess all day, worried that he would somehow be so enraged that he'd break out of the cellar and savage anyone nearby.

He had already informed his parents that he would not be spending the moon with them, much to their displeasure. Regulus had glanced at their reply, wincing at the worried and frantic scrawl of Remus' mother and the stern words of his father practically ordering him to return home lest he hurt someone else. Remus' jaw had clenched as he discarded the letter and Regulus had very nearly sent a nasty reply back _for_ him.

More so to his father. His mother was clearly just very worried and scared for her son which he appreciated. Lyall Lupin however had always been vocal in his distaste of creatures and this attitude was why Remus had been bitten in the first place. It sickened Regulus, honestly. Prejudices ran deep, he knew that better than anyone, even now he had the instinctive urge to sneer at the state of someone's robes or turn his nose up at a muggle.

But could Remus' father not at least _try?_

Remus assured them all that he did and that he had improved, but Lyall was apparently very awkward with Remus. To Regulus, that seemed like a nice way of saying _he doesn't know how to handle me because he thinks any moment I'll leap across the dining table and rip his face off_.

Either way, Lyall Lupin was not looking so good in Regulus' books and he was summarily not looking forward to having to meet his boyfriend's parents. They'd arranged to go at some point and to soften the blow, Sirius and James would tag along as apparently they'd never _actually_ met Remus' friends before.

Again, not looking so good to Regulus, but whatever. When he inevitably met them, Regulus would play nice. For the most part.

For Remus' full moon experience, Grandfather had insisted that instead of the damp cellar, he would gain free run of the grounds. The barriers had already been erected and strengthened by Grandfather, Sirius and Regulus while James had the elves prepare a nice big meal for Remus. The werewolf had tried to protest but when Lord Black stares you dead in the eye and tells you to agree, you do it.

Remus was still very anxious though and while Regulus had done all he could for his lovely boyfriend, it hadn't helped much. The full moon, according to Sirius, had always been a source of anxiety for Remus. He was terrified that one day he'd savage some innocent passer by or even worse, hurt someone he loved that had just been trying to help him. Even though they were mates and Regulus was an Animagus, he didn't doubt that his Boggart would be the same as it had been the last time he'd seen one.

Grandfather had assured him that the elves would be extra vigilant and would monitor him overnight. They had the ability to turn invisible and a werewolf wouldn't care about another magical creature being nearby, not if that creature was as harmless and docile as a house elf.

Regulus had taken refuge in the astronomy tower of the manor, using the large open space to lay down with a few snacks and watch Remus when he wasn't in the woods. They had some little telescopes, but Regulus had been regularly going to Quidditch matches for years and had his own Omnioculars. Using them, he was able to track Remus while worriedly gorging on some lovely mushrooms and bell peppers stuffed with couscous that the elves had prepared for him.

"Didn't take you for a stalker, Reggie." Sirius snickered, strolling into the stone room with a grin on his face. Regulus turned with wide eyes, blinking at his brother. "Why d'you look so surprised?"

"Yeah." James beamed, strolling around the corner with his own little basket. "He was _our_ Moony first! As if we're about to let him run about without supervision."

"Exactly. We've been watching his furry behind since fifth year! We aren't about to stop now." Sirius cuffed him gently on the chin with his hand as he sat beside him. James curled around the other side, slinging an arm over Regulus' shoulders. Regulus sat, sandwiched between his two brothers just as the moon began to peak and the distant screams of Remus slowly became more lupine.

Regulus gnawed his lip. "Oh, Moony." He whispered, leaning against his brothers for comfort.

Wincing, Sirius grabbed for his hand and squeezed, "He'll be alright, love. He's strong."

"I know that." Regulus rasped as Moony let out a mournful howl, noticing the lack of his packmates. "Still, it's hard to watch."

James grimaced as Moony began to bound around the property, desperately snuffling the ground and whimpering sadly. "I know. Fuck- but-" James scrunched his face up as Moony let out another grief filled howl followed by a series of keening sounds. "There's nothing we can do."

Sirius bit his lip, looking around warily and Regulus felt his heart race. "What is it?" He demanded.

"I- It's a-" Sirius met James' eyes and Regulus wanted to scream.

"Don't you dare. Whatever it is you're discussing, don't you dare keep it from me."

James' arm tightened around him, breaking eye contact with Sirius to look down at Regulus who met his gaze firmly. "We had an idea, but it's very stupid."

Regulus heard his boyfriend let out another desperate cry and immediately said, "I'm in."

"We haven't even-" James began.

Interrupting quickly, Regulus jumped to his feet. "I don't care. Whatever it is, if it'll stop that, I'm in." He gestured to a mournful Moony clawing at the ground and throwing himself against the trees. Moony continued to whimper, howling every so often as he desperately scratched at the bark of the tree, whining loudly. It sounded as if Moony were crying, grieving the loss of his pack and his mate.

Sirius grimaced, "Remus will kill us."

"You're still recovering Reg.." James started hesitantly.

Stomping his foot petulantly, Regulus crossed his arms. "I don't care! I'm not even hurt anymore! I'm mostly healed-"

 _"Mostly."_ James grumbled, "Not _fully."_

"And, as I said, Remus will absolutely murder us." Sirius finished.

"I don't care." Regulus hissed, eyes burning. "He- I love him! I can't sit here while- while-" A mournful, broken howl sounded. It was the loudest one yet and the tone was so doleful and sad that Regulus felt his chest heave. "Please." He whispered.

James scrubbed his hand against his forehead, "Fuck it. Bloody hell, Pomfrey better not find out or she's liable to kill us for dragging you into this."

"It'll be worth it." Regulus insisted. "Now what's this idea of yours?"

"You two were right, this is bloody ridiculous." Regulus hissed.

James blinked, "You were the one-"

"I thought you'd have a bit more sense!"

Sirius snorted, "Really?"

"Well, no, I suppose not. You're both about as smart as a flobberworm."

An offended noise was abruptly cut off as James' broom lurched. "Oops."

"And you're supposed to be a star Chaser." Regulus sniffed, "I'd _never_ be so careless."

"Listen here you little-"

"Guys!" Sirius hissed, "I can't believe _I'm_ being the voice of reason." He mumbled to himself.

Regulus glared at his brother. Honestly, this was the dumbest idea they'd ever had. 

Tightening his thighs around his broomstick, he sighed wearily. Apparently, in his brothers' infinite wisdom, they'd decided to fly as close to Moony as possible to try and soothe him with their presence.

Regulus had tried to protest that this idea was absolute _insanity,_ but Sirius had made a good point when he referenced how Moony automatically relaxed around Regulus. They didn't think their presence would help much as they were only pack, but they were certain that for Remus, having his mate close by would be soothing.

Another low howl sounded and Regulus sniffled. It was bitterly cold, as it always was on the full moon. For some reason, all magicals were much more sensitive to the cold when the moon was highest. Once, he had actually had an interesting discussion with Dorcas about this. They had theorised that it was likely a survival mechanism to save wayward wizards and witches from werewolves. If they were unlikely to leave their homes, they would be safe. And the night was _so_ cold, Regulus could feel his weak joints already stiffening and he bemoaned the pain he'd be in tomorrow.

Moony let out another broken howl and Regulus clenched his jaw. It was _worth_ it. For his boyfriend, Regulus would do _anything._

"C'mon, he's over there." Sirius murmured, nodding towards the trees. "We'll stay back a bit."

Regulus nodded solemnly, leaning forward on his broom to move closer. The treeline was thick with leaves due to the season, a rich forest green blanketed the woods and Regulus bit his lip at the large shadowy figure bounding around. Moony was snuffling the ground still, whining pitifully as he pawed at the ground. His head would dart around anxiously at every little sound, curious whines spilling from his snout as he wondered where his pack had gone.

With a sniffle, Regulus blinked away the tears in his eyes. Moony didn't have the full intelligence of Remus, not without his mate being there. It was very possible that Moony believed his pack had all been taken from him. That his mate was gone and now Moony was alone to suffer until his body gave up. Except, _Remus_ knew that Regulus was alive. 

Regulus wondered, briefly, what would have happened if he had perished in the cave. Would Remus have followed shortly after? There was little research on the subject, but as Remus had said, they had never established the bond back then. So, it was very likely that Remus would simply have gone on about his life. Wistful and thoughtful, thinking of what could have been but would never be.

Suddenly, Moony's ears perked up and his head shot up from the ground. The werewolf went completely rigid, blinking slowly as his nose snuffled, twitching as he scented the air. Regulus felt a smile pull at his lips, he'd been discovered.

Moony, with unfathomable accuracy, whipped his head around, eyes already spotting Regulus floating on his broom. The wolf made an odd sound, pressing forward on one paw uncertainly, eyes narrowing as he stared at Regulus. Checking, perhaps? Making sure he was not mistaken. Ensuring that his nose had not betrayed him and that this _was_ his mate - not just some random prey to be devoured.

"Hello darling." Regulus whispered, voice cutting through the icy air. Moony perked up further, recognising his voice, slowly taking another step closer. "It's me, my heart." He murmured, eyes stinging as he angled his broom further down.

Moony's amber eyes blinked intelligently and he reeled back to let out a triumphant howl. After the wolf had finished, he let his tongue loll out as he bounded forward, eagerly sniffing as he came closer to Regulus. The wolf whined when he realised Regulus was _just_ out of reach, huffing and panting as he excitedly jumped up to try and get closer.

"No, my love. Stay there." Regulus said anxiously as he swallowed thickly, pulling his broom away from the wolf's sharp claws. Behind him, he could hear Sirius say something to James and Moony immediately growled fiercely. "Sirius, shut up." Regulus snapped.

The werewolf was staring off over Regulus' shoulder where he presumed James and Sirius were lingering, hidden mostly by the trees. But Moony had excellent senses and likely knew exactly where they were. Regulus bit his lip uncertainly as the wolf began to snarl viciously, crouching down and glaring up at a certain spot.

Remus wasn't here. This was purely Moony.

Perhaps it was the stress or the lack of his pack from the beginning, but either way, Remus was gone for the meanwhile. Regulus wasn't particularly surprised by that, but it didn't ease his worries. What if Moony decided to make his brothers his next snack? No, he could not allow for that. What could he do, though? It wasn't like he could transform, he was too injured for that. But.. perhaps..

Regulus winced. He was about to do something unbelievably stupid.

"Love?" Regulus murmured, reaching a hand out slowly. "Moony, look at me." He whispered.

Moony blinked, turning to Regulus as if to ask why he was distracting him from hunting his prey. From removing the threat.

"Nothing to worry about." He murmured, distantly hearing one of the boys hiss as his hand came closer to the salivating werewolf. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't dare. But this was Regulus' boyfriend and Regulus was Remus' mate. That had to count for _something._

Moony whined, butting his nose against the tips of Regulus' fingers, letting his tongue roll out to lap at the palm of Regulus' hand with a soft yip. Regulus smiled, leaning closer on his broom so that he could run a hand over Remus' thick fur. He'd never seen him like this, not as a human. It was only when Regulus was in his Animagus form that he had been near Moony before, so to be able to actually feel Remus' coat and scratch behind his ears with his nails was a whole new experience.

Panting, Remus' tongue lolled out blissfully as he nudged his head closer to Regulus who giggled, "You like that, don't you?" He snickered as the tawny wolf purred softly, content to let his mate pamper him.

Regulus was almost certain that his brothers were in a right tizzy, but he didn't care. Moony snuffled slightly, licking at Regulus who giggled again as the night blurred around him. This was his boyfriend. No matter what, he wasn't going to abandon him.

Moony hadn't cared one whit that Regulus was human, laying his furry body on top of him to keep him safe while he petted the wolf gently. When the moon faded, Regulus watched as Remus turned back painfully, patting his head consolingly the whole time. Remus was panting softly from exertion as he turned back, moaning from the rough transformation and Regulus whispered sweet praises in his ear.

"R-Reg?" Remus murmured uncertainly. "Wha-"

"Quiet, my heart. Sleep." Regulus soothed, scratching at his scalp softly. "We'll speak tomorrow." He wouldn't mention his aching back or the tenseness of his limbs. In the distance, he could see James and Sirius rushing over and he assumed they'd spent the night somewhere close by - he wasn't certain if they'd slept, though he felt it unlikely as he took in their haggard appearances. 

Remus nodded blearily, passing out just as the two boys approached. 

"What the fuck- Why the _fuck-"_ Sirius was spluttering, "You- Fucking _death wish-"_

"Regulus, I swear to Merlin, I'll kill you if you do something so- so-" James waved a hand wildly and Regulus laid his head back against the tree trunk he was resting against and _laughed._

Rightfully so, Remus was not impressed the next day. Grandfather hadn't been happy either. Both of them had given all three boys a tongue lashing, even worse had been when they realised Regulus had been with Moony as a human, thus risking his life. Ignoring all of Regulus' protests and reasonings that _he was Remus' mate_ and _Moony wouldn't have hurt him_ , he'd been sent to his room. Although, that was probably just to make sure he rested.

James was sniffling with a slight cold while Sirius was grumpy from not sleeping and had a head ache. Regulus himself was on bed rest due to his aching limbs and he felt his muscles randomly tense painfully every so often.

But the beatific smile Remus had given Regulus when he tucked him into bed, kissing his nose softly with a tenderness in his gaze, had made it all worth it. Even if Regulus was barely conscious due to the strong pain relieving potions he was on.

Again, for his boyfriend, Regulus would suffer anything.

When they all converged a few days later to discuss what to do about the Horcruxes, Sirius had immediately insisted that he was ready to destroy them.

This had prompted another round of questions on whether or not Voldemort could possibly feel the Horcruxes being destroyed. Sirius didn't think so and Regulus was very much inclined to agree. Grandfather had brought forth many good points to assuage Remus' concerns while James was clearly pleased to defer to the others - he knew the least about the Dark Arts after all.

Remus had been adamant that there was a very small possibility that he could feel them being destroyed and if that were to be the case, they would at least need some semblance of a plan. Grandfather had merely raised a brow and asked if they could truly predict what the man would do.

James then pointed out that if Voldemort could feel them all being destroyed, he would know he was then mortal. For James, this would prompt him to either make another one or run away to some tiny, unknown island somewhere foreign and hide out for as long as he was able. Grandfather, however, was insistent that Voldemort wouldn't risk making another Horcrux, not now. He would know that his soul would be largely unstable by now and simply making another Horcrux would not rid the threat to his life. It was also, thankfully, not that simple. The process wasn't as easy as killing someone and choosing a new trinket, it was a whole process. A painful and trying one that Voldemort would not be able to repeat quickly.

In Regulus' opinion, it was much more likely that he would run around trying to find out _why_ his Horcruxes had disappeared in the first place. He'd likely check with his followers first, as well as the easily accessible ones like the ring and the locket. It was here that Regulus brought up his little _suicide note_ as Sirius had taken to calling it. 

Although James clearly found it very funny that he'd left a final go-fuck-yourself to Voldemort, he had grimaced at what would be sure to follow if Voldemort found out. James then mentioned Walburga's final words in the dining room, that Voldemort knew Regulus was an absconder.

To ease their fears, Grandfather had been persistent in his belief that this was simply a jab at his leaving the Death Eaters. Sirius too seemed to find it unlikely that Voldemort knew that his Horcrux had been stolen or that Regulus was leading the charge to gather the rest.

Regulus himself was unsure but he did think it was unlikely that the monster knew. Surely, if he did, he would have done something by now. But as rash and insane as Voldemort was, he would know that in this, he would need to be careful.

Voldemort would know that he had to tread lightly. Any wrong move and he would be taken out, _permanently._ No back-up trinket existed, Regulus was certain. His map did not lie.

Quite frankly, Regulus was all for destroying the bloody things. They did nothing but cause harm and he knew the elves didn't like handling them. Kreacher had been very firm in his decision to take the main role in ensuring the Horcruxes were stored properly and not able to harm anyone. Regulus had never been so thankful for his little friend.

Well. That wasn't true. Kreacher had saved Regulus' life _twice_ by now. Probably much more too that he simply did not know of. Regulus would never stop being grateful that his friend was so devoted to him and went out of his way to assure his safety. It was so sweet.

Sirius still seemed baffled by it, but seeing Kreacher's devotion first hand had clearly softened his brother. Even James had become much nicer to Kreacher in the past week or so. Remus had always been kind to the elf, but Kreacher had always been very off with his boyfriend. After seeing how quick he was to protect Regulus however, the elf seemed to have changed his opinion. He was still only known as 'Master's Wolf' but he was no longer a half-breed or filthy. 

Which, for Kreacher, was a very large improvement.

Of course, the elf never said it when one of the others were around, but Kreacher had a tendency to mutter aloud and they'd all heard him speaking about the others in disparaging ways. James was still the _nasty Potter brat,_ but at least he was no longer the _filthy blood-traitor that stole Master Sirius from sweet, innocent, naïve Master Regulus_.

So really, Kreacher loved them all.

It was, again, on Sirius' insistence that they were all in the duelling room that day.

He had been adamant that he was strong enough to wipe out the Horcruxes once and for all. The rest of them weren't sure, but they certainly weren't going to argue with Sirius on this. He was far too headstrong to listen to reason.

Grandfather had willed the room to take on the same form as the last time they had used this room.

To Regulus, it was odd being back here. He'd avoided the duelling room mainly because he was still too weak to properly duel, but even as he healed, he continued to subconsciously avoid the room. 

A part of him felt grief stricken over Walburga's death. She was an abusive old hag and a murderer to boot, but a part of him would always long for her as a mother. He would always wish to be back with her on her kinder days, when she would spare a moment to pat his head or give him a compliment that would leave him flushed with pride.

But he was getting stronger. He was getting better at coping with her death.

For, Walburga Black _was_ dead.

She may have a new name now and may technically be alive living in a property in a rural part of Germany, but she was dead to them all.

Especially to Grandfather.

He had blasted her face apart on the tapestry with a _vengeance,_ forbidding the name Walburga to be used again within the Black family. Nobody would be able to use that name for their offspring anymore. In Regulus' opinion, that was a good thing. She did not deserve to have her memory live on. She deserved to be scrubbed from the records and to all future Blacks, only be known as a woman that once was. Grandfather had also removed any and all portraits of Walburga Black and had changed his will to remove both her _and_ Orion.

It had also been made clear that Walburga would not have a gravesite nor a proper burial upon her death. When she did inevitably die, she would likely be thrown into a furnace or used as fertiliser for Cassie's plants. He didn't know. Quite frankly, he didn't much care. That part of him that cared for her was infinitesimal in comparison to the rest of him. As far as he was concerned, Walburga Black was dead and that was the end of it. He would heal properly in time.

Sirius, however, had seemed lighter than ever. A weight had been lifted from him and Regulus beamed every time he saw Sirius looking so free and unimpaired. It just proved how much of a dark cloud Walburga had been for his brother, blocking out his radiant sunshine, and it broke his heart, honestly.

He had always known how difficult Walburga made life for Sirius, but to see him _this_ carefree now that she was no longer an issue saddened him slightly.

James and Remus had been exuberant in their joy and had clearly spent a lot of time trying to distract them all from the messy events of the dinner.

Regulus wondered if perhaps all Black family events would continue to be this dramatic. He hoped not.

"Are you certain?" Grandfather murmured again as Remus and James hurried to hide behind the thick barrier. "We will not be able to help you. You understand?"

Sirius' jaw clenched. "I know. I'm ready. Honest."

Regulus bit his lip as he reached out to grasp his brother's hand. "Please, Siri. Don't overdo it. If you have to cut the Fiendfyre short to save yourself, do it. The Horcruxes can wait."

"No they _can't."_ Sirius hissed, "This is what you almost _died_ for, Reg. _Twice!_ If you recall."

With a scowl, Regulus yanked his hand away from Sirius. "Yes, I do. But that pales in comparison to this. I am _fine,_ as you can see. You, however, are still being difficult. You don't have to single-handedly remove Voldemort, Siri. We've been through this."

Sirius glared down at the floor, he scraped his foot along the stone and huffed. "That's not what I'm doing."

"It appears to me," Grandfather began astutely, "That you are continuing to harbour your true emotions inside yourself. Have we not spoken about this, my Heir?"

Sirius winced slightly. "No, I know. I just-" He looked mournfully at Regulus, "Reggie, you've almost died twice because of- of these _foul_ things. So, yes, I may be, you know, pushing myself a little. But I know my limits! I'm doing fine, I swear. It's just- I _need_ to see these things destroyed."

Regulus pouted slightly, "You think I don't understand that? 'Cause I do."

"No, I know you do." Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just- I'd feel a lot better knowing that they were gone. That Voldemort is just one killing curse away from death. For good." He added pointedly.

Sighing, Regulus reached out to squeeze his brother's shoulder. "I get that. I really do. But please Siri, be careful." He murmured, leaning up to hug his brother and press a kiss to his cheek.

Sirius kissed the top of his head and ruffled his hair, "Don't worry, ickle baby brother. Big brother's not going anywhere." Sirius assured him, kissing his forehead gently.

"Better not." Regulus mumbled, feeling his gut curl slightly from anxiety. Before he could do something stupid like throw himself on the ground and protest leaving, he twirled around and stalked off in the direction of the gallery. Slipping into the little protected area, he curled in between James and Remus. "He's an idiot."

James laughed, "Agree."

Remus huffed, "He's being stupid, again."

"Of course he is." James muttered darkly. "He'll keep being stupid until Voldemort is dead and buried."

"Which could take years." Regulus whispered. "Siri's always been like this. He fixates on his goals and doesn't allow for anything less. I worry..."

"I know." Remus murmured, pressing a soft, comforting kiss to Regulus' temple. "But, he's got us. We'll be here right alongside him."

James smiled reassuringly and Regulus reached out to correct his crooked glasses, a habit he'd picked up recently, "Yeah! We'll be alright. We've got each other. Who's old Voldie got?"

"A bunch of extremely loyal servants that would bleed the world dry for him." Regulus deadpanned.

James snorted, "See! It'll be _easy!"_

Regulus shook his head and turned back to the main part of the room as Grandfather slowly made his way beyond the barrier to sit beside James. The man had a grim but resigned look on his face and Regulus internally thanked his grandfather's ability to stay calm and composed. He was always there with a reassuring word or a stern glare that helped ease the weight off their shoulders.

"Boys." Grandfather said lowly in greeting. "There shouldn't be any danger to us. But you must always be prepared. Wands out."

They all drew their wands from their holsters, palming them and tightening their grip as Sirius called for Kreacher to bring the Horcruxes in. They'd debated what would be the best way to do this. Sirius was adamant that he could get them all at once, but Regulus had pointed out that having that many parts of his soul in one place may cause them to feed off each other.

Remus had suggested perhaps bringing them in one-by-one or maybe pairing them off as they had five pieces. James had shrugged, again, happy to let the Dark Magic experts battle it out. He had suggested, however, using house-elves to pop them into existence and Regulus had almost kissed him for being so clever.

Regulus liked that about James. He often said what made the most sense and although sometimes it maybe made him sound stupid, it was very helpful for brainstorming sessions. Sirius was too sure of his abilities in this particular matter and Remus and Regulus tended to think too big. Grandfather had been content to let them talk it out and acquiesced that James had a very good point.

They would use Remus' suggestion of bringing them in one Horcrux at a time and from there, hope for the best. House elves could make things appear before you as long as they were nearby and as Kreacher was both very determined and very close by, they had that sorted.

"Right." Sirius shouted from across the room. He had pressed himself close to the main doors just in case he needed to escape and Kreacher couldn't get to him. Although Regulus knew that a part of Sirius wasn't certain that the elf would save him, Regulus knew better. He knew that besides himself and Sirius, Kreacher was the one most determined to see the Horcruxes die.

Sirius had also wanted them to have a backup in case something happened to him, ignoring all of their protests that they wouldn't even entertain such a ridiculous notion. Sirius had said that if something should happen to him, the rest of the pack were to learn Fiendfyre themselves or give the Horcruxes to Dumbledore. Regulus knew how to cast the cursed flames in theory, as did the others, but he wasn't keen on _actually_ casting them, he didn't trust himself yet. Though, Sirius had brought up a good point with Dumbledore. And he knew the man would most certainly have the ability to use Fiendfyre.

Regulus watched as Sirius raised his wand, taking in a steady breath before exhaling. "Kreacher. Bring the first one." He called smoothly. Regulus felt slightly in awe of Sirius' ability to completely centre himself that quickly. It was something that Walburga had hexed into them; compartmentalising and storing away your true feelings to hide behind a neutral mask. Not exactly the healthiest thing in the world, but in times like this it was effective.

A soft pop sounded and the familiar thick chain of the locket appeared sprawled out on the ground. Regulus curled his lip at the sight of the thing. He couldn't help it. Above all the others, _this_ was the one Horcrux he had truly almost died to steal and had even _planned_ on it. Seeing the nasty thing again wasn't exactly a nice experience, but it sent a vicious sense of satisfaction through him at the knowledge that soon, the locket would be no more.

Sirius glared hatefully down at the thing. He _despised_ the locket for what it represented to Regulus. 

In Sirius' mind, this thing was responsible for his baby brother's near demise. No matter that the ring was just as foul and reprehensible for pretty much the whole pack being torn apart, this locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin, started this all.

Sirius blinked as the locket began to vibrate slightly, hissing and coiling angrily. His head tilted as the gaudy chain began to curl and writhe slightly in a serpentine manner. The pendant of the locket shook and Sirius knew what was going to happen before it did. He had been confronted with the Horcruxes and their special ways of protecting themselves, but never before had any of them been actively trying to destroy the items in a way that would _work._

The Horcrux must have picked up on the ominous aura in the room and sensed the threat to it's existence. It didn't like that. Sirius knew the thing had already comprehended that it would meet it's match as it suddenly wrenched itself open, unleashing a foul wave of blackness around the room.

Sirius kept his wand brandished as he saw the cloud forming. Being there, in the duelling room with an ominous cloud brewing was a little too familiar to him. So much so that it caused him to falter slightly. 

"You will die, slowly, _painfully."_ A voice hissed. The sibilant whisper was the same disgusting voice that he heard crooning in his head every time he was too close to a Horcrux. 

The four in the gallery all paled, wands high and pointed at the locket as the area above the locket thickened into a form. The cloud whirled, twisting and curling as it began to take on the appearance of a person. Legs appeared first, elegant black slip on shoes, shined to perfection. Then the hem of yellow robes appeared, the cloud dissolving upwards as the rest of the form was unveiled. Sirius gaped at the view before him. Those spectating all seemed baffled, hands drooping slightly at what they saw.

"You _knew."_ The woman's doleful voice murmured, "You _knew_ she would kill me."

Sirius' jaw dropped at the sight of her. A beautiful heart-shaped face, soft wavy hair that fell midway down her back and a tiredness in her gaze as she looked at him. "G-Grandmother?" He gaped. Her sunflower yellow robes fit perfectly and he wondered how old she was. She didn't look anywhere near as old as she should have been, but she didn't look particularly young either. More like she would have been when Sirius' father was a child, perhaps. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Grandfather staring at this image of his wife. His eyes were wet and Sirius could see him mouthing her name like a prayer.

"She murdered me.. you should have known." She sniffled slightly, looking at him in betrayal. "How could you, Artie?" The woman cried, turning to face Grandfather.

Sirius saw Arcturus' whole body lurch at the accusing stature of his deceased wife. She stared at him in anger and hurt, begging to know why he had not done better. Why had he _failed_ to protect her, when it was clear to see that Walburga despised Melania. 

Grandfather was shaking his head, murmuring and mumbling repeatedly. Sirius could not hear him, but apparently the Horcrux could as it began hissing with a vengeance, throwing out painful and hurtful accusations at the man. 

"You wanted me gone. You did not care enough to protect me. I thought you loved me, Artie." She cried, "But clearly you did not! You did not care to check that I was okay. You should have known!" She wailed, "Did you want me gone? Did you have another? Did you love someone else? Was I not enough for you?"

Grandfather's head was shaking vehemently and was yelling something but Sirius tuned him out. He turned to the figure in rage. How _dare_ this thing take on his sweet Grandmother's form? She would never be so callous and uncaring. By all accounts, Melania Black was one of the kindest and most genuine women on the planet and she would never have thought so lowly of Grandfather. He had adored her, worshipped her. Melania, the real Melania, knew that. 

"Shut up!" He called, aiming his wand at the locket. "You're a foul fucking _mimicry_ of who Melania Black once was. You're that demented bastard's soul piece and you know you've got _seconds_ left."

The form twisted as it met Sirius' gaze. The cloud appeared, blurring Melania Black's form and instead turning into a young man. Long lashes, sleek eyebrows and an aristocratic nose with thin pink lips stared back at Sirius. The young man had lustrous sable hair that was styled to perfection in a way that dripped nobility. Most striking of all were his eyes, however. Crimson red and peering at Sirius with a cocky indifference, as if he were looking at an insect he was getting ready to crush beneath the heel of his expensive looking boots.

"Ah, a Black. Such distinguishable features." The man hummed. Sirius' eyes narrowed at the spectre and the man chuckled, "You wish to destroy me."

"I shall." Sirius corrected smoothly. He knew this type of person and he knew how these games were played. Although certainly not born into high society, he knew that this man knew the handbook just as well as he did. He'd probably studied and emulated those around him, designing his own clever mask and practicing his strong but casual stride in front of a mirror. For, this could only be one person.

Only one person could wear that sort of smug arrogance so easily, so undeservingly. Only one man could look so self-assured and unthreatened by the presence of a very pissed off Black Heir.

This was _Tom Riddle._

From the colour of his eyes, he'd likely not quite become Voldemort but had certainly been dabbling into the Dark Arts. That specific shade, much like a sparkling ruby or the blood that flows through your veins, could only come from _negligence._

"Unlikely." Riddle said with a curled lip. 

"Forgive me for not trembling in my boots, Tom." Sirius spat. Riddle snarled at the use of his name and Sirius laughed. "Don't like that name do you? Now, I know it's polite to address you formally, but quite frankly, someone that could be so foolhardy with Dark Magic does not deserve my respect."

"Do not speak of things you do not-"

Sirius laughed again, "I'm _Sirius Black,_ you imbecile. You think I don't know a thing or two about the Dark Arts? You think I don't understand the severity of practicing Dark Magics? The lust for more that floods your veins? The rich, chocolatey texture that melts on your tongue when you finally take command of a spell that was designed to test you?" Sirius grinned wickedly.

"Then you are a fool." Riddle snapped, "The Dark Arts are there to be mastered, yet-"

 _"Idiot."_ Sirius hissed. "You think this is about supposed weakness and your delusions of grandeur? This is about a jaded child that was angry at the world and decided to make everyone suffer for his shitty childhood."

"You know nothing." Riddle's eyes flashed, "Muggles are naught but filth. Impure, _weak!_ They are born without magic for a reason-"

"Yes. For balance." Sirius rolled his eyes. The four in the spectators gallery seemed overly concerned, he could faintly see Regulus rapidly conversing with Grandfather while James banged on the crystalline ward protecting them. Sirius paused. He kept his attention focused on Riddle who seemed to be working himself up into a rant while he curiously prodded at the magic surrounding him. 

His eyes immediately narrowed and he bit his tongue. Sirius took in a steady breath while Riddle continued to spew his vitriol about muggles being worth nothing and the wizarding world being overdue for a proper cleanse. This was a Horcrux. Nothing more.

Sirius could admit that he had forgotten himself slightly. He had gotten wrapped up in seeing this young version of Voldemort and had been easily distracted from what his main goals were. He could see the glow of Riddle's eyes getting brighter and denser as his form began to solidify. Sirius could feel that his magic felt slightly drained and he curled his lip at the feeling of that _leech_ sucking out his life force.

Sirius didn't spare a moment to reply, simply raising his wand as he centred his mind.

_"Ignis Maledictus Aeternum!"_

An inferno began to rage. Fiery snakes, chimaeras, dragons and other serpentine beasts with wings soared through a mass of flames. They screeched at once as Sirius willed them to focus all of their destructive wrath on the innocent looking locket. The walls of the duelling room trembled under the mass of fire, the stone scorched as the flames licked at the dais.

The moment the cursed flames began to twirl from Sirius' wand, Riddle's eyes had widened and he began shrieking in terror filled rage. The spectre disappeared as the flames consumed the locket causing a volatile reaction within the fire as the essence of Voldemort momentarily possessed the plume of fire. 

A screaming face stared back at him through the roaring inferno and Sirius felt that same addictive rush he had described flood his veins. His muscles tensed in anticipation and adrenaline coursed through him. Sirius shuddered. Dark Magic was _intoxicating_ for a reason and seeing the locket reduced to nothing caused him to lick his lips as a bead of sweat dripped down his brow.

Impure lust and desire raced through him and he grinned ferally as he willed the flames to end. _Sirius was in charge here._ The flames answered his call, slowly reducing until a mere ring of fire continued and Sirius didn't spare a moment to check on his family, only calling Kreacher forth to bring in the next foul abomination of magic forward so he could ensure Voldemort's mortality.

A black book appeared and Sirius immediately reignited the flames. It gave an inhuman screech and distantly he could hear that seductive tone ringing through his ears but he paid it no heed. This was his mission. This was what he had been waiting for.

Seeing the leather bound journal curl up and give off a thick black plume into the flames which too was devoured gave him a rush of pure satisfaction and he shuddered slightly in arousal. Another little item appeared, it glowed yellow so he assumed it was the cup but he again ignored it. Putting his everything into maintaining the curse as the effort of holding Fiendfyre this long was draining him.

He'd read tales of wizards holding onto the curse for too long and passing out while the flames still burned. Until every last ember was snuffed out, he had to just square his shoulders and ignore the sweat dripping from his forehead. His hands were trembling slightly from the strain, but the rest of his body held firm. Sirius grounded himself, planting his feet squarely onto the stone dais and took in a smooth breath.

Sirius was the one in control. 

The next Horcrux appeared after the cup had been handled and Sirius continued to focus his efforts on destroying the next one. A soft, crooning voice was prompting him to yield. What use was there in fighting? Even if he destroyed all of these Horcruxes, he couldn't take on Voldemort himself. Not at the level of power he was at. He was cocky, but not stupid.

No. _No._ His family had almost been completely destroyed by Voldemort.

Everything he stood for willed him to fight against that monster and he would not kneel now. Especially not when his wand sent a Hungarian Horntail soaring, batting it's wings and consuming the diadem for all it was worth. A part of Sirius felt saddened that he was destroying priceless items - Founders items - but he knew this was how it had to be. Perhaps not the greatest thing in the world, but a necessary evil.

"You can do this, Siri!" He heard a soft voice shout suddenly.

Sirius jerked. He'd gotten distracted and the flames had begun to taste his lack of will. They'd started to slowly lick at his clothes and he hurried to ground himself further. 

That voice... The voice that he knew better than his own. Belonging to the person _most_ precious to him. This was why he was fighting. For his baby brother and his pack. For his loved ones. For his family.

As Sirius began to focus, suddenly and without any warning he was hit with a strong wave of grief and nostalgia. An urge overwhelmed him to seek out his grandmother. Perhaps it would help soothe Grandfather after the Horcrux took on her form. He just needed to find a way to get to her.

 _The ring.._ Sirius felt his will falter slightly. If he destroyed the ring, she would be lost forever. Grandfather would never find peace and Sirius would never see her again. He'd never be able to apologise, to tell her he was sorry his mother had been such a foul bitch. He would never hear her beautiful voice sing him to sleep or feel that overwhelming warmth the love in her eyes always filled him with.

No. He _had_ to destroy it. 

But.. what if he loses someone dear to him? He'd never be able to see them again...

No. He knew better.

Sirius had been right when trying to convince Grandfather to let them take charge of the acquisition of the ring. She wouldn't be herself. If, say, he lost James. The same would be true. It would not be James Potter. It would be a mere shadow of his former self. He would never have the same bright spark in his hazel eyes or the boisterous candour to his laugh. The ring was merely a way to bring a shaded version of them back momentarily and although that may be enough if it were someone not too close to him, he knew he would never wish to see one of his pack like that. 

Regulus, James and Remus meant _everything_ to him. They had all sculpted him, moulded him into who he was currently and he'd never stop being grateful for them and their continued patience. He knew he wasn't the best person and he knew he had a lot of poor, borderline toxic traits. But they loved him anyway. They were willing to endure the bad he brought as they _believed_ in him.

They believed that at his core, Sirius was a good person. 

And perhaps, Sirius was beginning to truly believe them.

With a vicious grin, Sirius willed the flames to burn brighter than ever. A serpent the size of a train, a _Basilisk,_ slithered through the inferno to wrap tightly around the ring, causing it to disappear in a haze of yellow, orange and red. Sirius took in a breath as the fifth monstrous shriek came, signalling the end of the final Horcrux.

Letting the relief fill him, Sirius focused his everything into slowly reducing the flames. He could hear the voices of his family blending together; Grandfather's firm tone, Regulus' soft tenor, James' exuberant cheers and Remus' soothing baritone sounded through his ears and he felt the relief double. His pack were all safe, as was his grandfather.

They were all okay.

The last of the flames looped around where the ring had been, snuffing out any remnants of the foul magics involved before flickering out altogether. Sirius grinned again, staring down at the black scorch mark on the stone before throwing his head back in a mad cackle. It was done. Voldemort was mortal.

"Siri!" He heard his little brother's voice before the smaller boy barrelled into him. Sirius wrapped his arms around Regulus, stumbling slightly as the fatigue began to set deep into his bones. "You did it!"

Sirius let out another bark of laughter, tightening his grip around Regulus as Remus and James crowded him on either side. "I did."

"Knew you could do it!" James beamed, bouncing on his feet with that spark in his eyes as bright as ever.

"Of course we did. But we're just glad to see that you're okay." Remus huffed. 

Grandfather hummed and Sirius noticed he seemed rather sombre. "You have done well, Sirius. You may rest for the remainder of the evening. I dare say you'll need it."

Sirius nodded but reached out as his grandfather turned to leave. "That wasn't her." He said, "She would never think like that. Don't let that disgusting thing mess with your head. Grandmother would kick your arse for thinking so lowly of her." He warned in a firm tone.

Grandfather frowned. It looked as if he wanted to argue back - whether to Sirius' slight disrespect or to his words, he didn't know. Instead, the man lowered his shoulders and nodded once, a fond smile pulling at his lips. "That she would."

"She'd have sewed your mouth shut like she did with Ignatius." Regulus snickered.

Grandfather's small smile widened slightly, eyes lightening at the memory of his enraged wife removing the ginger man's ability to communicate for insulting one of the elves and making the poor thing openly wail and bash it's head against the table leg. All the elf had done was mix up his plate with his wife's (who was right beside him so it wasn't as if it were an issue to just hand the plates to each other) but the man had been a right arse about the whole thing. Melania had stuck his lips together, forcing him to use gestures to indicate what he wanted until she returned the ability to talk a few days later - only after he gave a sufficient apology to the elf, of course.

The man nodded again, grey eyes much like clouds just after a storm. Sirius smiled at him before the older man left, cane clicking against the floor. Turning his attention back to his pack, Sirius gave a cocky grin, running a hand through his hair charmingly.

"Did you enjoy the show?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made up the incantation for Fiendfyre, it's just the words for fire, cursed and eternally in Latin. I'm not creative enough to make a proper spell - I apologise!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! And I'm so sorry for being inactive - a lot has been happening lately my lovely readers and I needed some time. I'm still not 100% but.. ah! 
> 
> There's.. actually not that much left of this fic? Maybe, I don't know, 3-5 chapters?? Depending on how long I make them. Could be more, I don't quite know. 
> 
> Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed this - I sort of love the idea of a huge werewolf and tiny Regulus. Look away from my self indulgence! And, well, isn't Sirius great? He kicks ass! And James is always fun to write, don't worry about Cassie, she means well. (And, she's so fun to write. I just love writing about their batty old Aunt and her adventures)


	38. The Festivities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus loves his fool of a brother, thinks James is a complete idiot and Remus is quite attractive.
> 
> He also celebrates his birthday.. a day early. Again, they're all idiots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The validity of the end half of this chapter is.. ! It doesn't fit with the time period in SOME aspects but for the most part it's alright. I always try to keep in mind that the Marauders Era takes place in the 70's, therefore, racism and homophobia, for example, were rife.
> 
> I feel like perhaps the wizarding world MAY have been more accepting of these sorts of things as there's canonical evidence that they at least occasionally laid with 'creatures' (See: Veelas and Half-Veelas for example) but who knows!

Regulus really loved his brother.

He really, really did.

It was moments like this that really solidified his love for him, in fact. Lying beside him while they stared up at the stars, contemplating and soft as they murmured quietly to each other. Sirius would nudge his cheeks with his nose every once in a while if he was quiet for too long, too lost in his thoughts. Every so often they'd recast the warming charms or snuggle closer together for warmth as the night air was bitterly cold and the gentle breeze that caressed their cheeks didn't help. 

But it was perfect.

After all of the excitement to do with the Horcrux hunt and the debacle of the Black family dinner with the events that followed, they _needed_ this. Especially as Sirius had exerted himself by casting Fiendfyre and holding onto it for so long to ensure the end of the soul tethers. 

Sirius had been exhausted after they left the duelling room. James and Remus had caught him when he slumped against the wall, both helping to cart the boy off to his room to recuperate. Regulus had happily curled up against his big brother, Remus wrapped around him while James took Sirius' other side, holding him close to his chest. 

They'd all agreed the Horcruxes were utterly foul (truly, bringing Grandmother into it had been horrendous) but they were all unimaginably relieved now that they were all gone. For Regulus, he couldn't help but laugh openly. _Finally,_ they were gone.

He'd had Kreacher appear before him when he went to the bathroom, sniffling and sobbing in relief at Regulus' feet. Regulus had scooped his little friend up, assuring him that everything would be okay. Yes, they had to deal with Voldemort and all of his Death Eaters, but at least the man was mortal once more.

_Mortal._

Regulus couldn't believe the man had ever been _immortal_ to begin with.

Truly, to destroy your soul was unimaginable. It was simply unthinkable to wizardkind. It just _wasn't done._ No matter how desperate you may be, you do not mess with your very essence. You don't butcher your soul, no matter what. The study of the soul was so rarely done as it was just too unpredictable - nobody, not even the greatest of wizards, knew what happened to you after death. However, everyone could agree on one thing; your soul was the very fibre of your being, therefore, your soul would still live on and go.. wherever it was you were destined to go.

Your soul was what made you who you were. Even those who have practiced the Dark Arts for decades would not dare to do such a thing. It truly was Voldemort's special brand of insanity.

Sirius had been much looser recently. Which, for Regulus, was brilliant.

His brother had the tendency to be a right prat about his feelings and although he'd improved, he still had a ways to go. They'd gone to Regulus' mind healer appointment together as a family. Everyone had waited for him while he braved the healer alone - determinedly and admittedly quite stubbornly.

It had gone better than expected. The man had been very caring and gentle, but firm in his convictions that what Regulus had been doing for years was not right. He had also seemed very alarmed by Sirius and Regulus' relationship - likely expecting something incestuous was perhaps festering. He had loudly assured him that, no, he would never think of Sirius romantically and he was quite happy with his lovely Remus.

Although he doubted the man fully believed him at first, when they'd gone to the next appointment together, he had seemed much more accepting. The healer had given them both a range of questions, some that seemed fairly innocuous while others were much more pointed. He had been unimpressed by the questions that poked at his sexuality or perhaps any repressed feelings he may harbour for those that he shouldn't _(didn't take a genius to figure out his motives there)_ but overall it had gone well.

In time he'd probably become more comfortable with the mind healer, but after the two sessions they'd had, he wasn't quite ready to _fully_ open up. Which, the man himself had assured them, was normal.

Sirius had been feeling especially melancholy after the appointment which was why Regulus had insisted they have brotherly bonding time up in their favourite part of the manor. The astronomy tower was beautiful as always and the view was magnificent. Sprawling grounds that went on as far as the eye could see were obscured by the darkness while the stars shone like tiny beacons of hope.

He had curled closer to Sirius, whispering that he was glad he had him in his life. Sirius had only smiled down at him, kissing him on the forehead and nodding that he too felt the same. 

It was hard to tell where he would be right now without him and he was infinitely glad that Sirius and he had reconciled. Regulus couldn't imagine how the past year of his life would have differed had he and Sirius never spoken.

"I love you." Regulus whispered.

Sirius turned to him, an endless night sky shining in his eyes as he gave a lopsided grin. "Love you too, little brother."

"Forever?" Regulus asked unsurely.

With a gentle smile, Sirius nodded. 

"Until we reach the stars and beyond."

As the days slowly dragged on, Regulus began to worry slightly.

After the _calamity_ that was the Black family meal, Grandfather had pushed for another to take place. Or at least, something similar. For when, Regulus didn't know. Cassie had apparently been arrested in Turkey for threatening some government official with her dagger in broad daylight and it had been a true headache for Grandfather to handle. Then Alphard had been mildly injured during a hiking accident which caused even further strain on them all. 

To top it all off, James had gone home and sent back several short but _scathing_ letters within mere hours of leaving. It was this that had prompted the remaining pack members to group together in Regulus' bedroom.

Remus was still staying with them and while James would likely demand they all go to his soon, they had decided to mainly reside in Black Manor until the new academic year rolled around. Remus' parents hadn't minded, only citing that they hoped he was 'careful with his disease'. Regulus had snatched the letter away and burned the thing, only remembering a half-hearted apology to Remus who simply looked resigned.

Because obviously the fact that Remus would much rather spend time with other people is of no concern to them. They'd never think to ask _why_ that may be. Couldn't _possibly_ have anything to do with them. They were just so _loving_ and so _kind,_ taking care of such a _difficult_ child, what with Remus' _disease._

It wasn't right to judge people based off of someone else's opinions - at least not usually. But in this instance, he couldn't help but feel his distaste towards the Lupin parents grow. They treated Remus as if he were some burden, a burden that was now being lifted off of their shoulders. The way they had casually mentioned finally being able to take a trip to the coast for a week or so had made Regulus' hands tremble with anger. Even more so when he saw the disheartened slump of Remus' head.

Oh well, he had to ignore it. Within a few days he was expected to meet the parents upon their return from their precious little holiday, how _fun._

"I just don't get it." Remus shook his head, "Why would he be so..."

Sirius snorted, "Because he's a fucking deluded prick."

"Who is?" Regulus asked distantly.

Blinking, Remus and Sirius shared a look before staring at him. "We've been discussing this for like ten minutes."

It was Regulus' turn to blink confusedly. "Huh?"

Astutely, Remus narrowed his eyes. "You've been in your head about my parents, haven't you?"

Regulus flushed. "No. Of course not. I'm thinking about my preliminary NEWT results actually. Not everything is about you, Lupin." Regulus snapped, sniffing as he raised his chin defiantly. He stubbornly ignored the condescending look from his brother and the dubious expression on Remus' stupidly handsome face. "Go on!" He huffed.

"Right." Sirius muttered, "Anyway. James is up in arms 'cause of Dumbles."

Regulus frowned. "Dumbledore? Why? Who cares about him?"

Snorting, Sirius leaned back on the bed and waved the letter around. "More like why does he care about us."

Seeing Regulus' mounting confusion, his lovely boyfriend laid a hand on his shoulder. "Dumbledore wants to meet with us."

"What?" Regulus' jaw dropped. "What-" He blinked, "Oh."

"Yes. Oh." Sirius huffed. "Stupid bloody Order. We've already said no!"

Remus paled and sent Sirius a look who also grimaced. Regulus' eyes flashed as he looked at them both incredulously, "You've what?" He hissed, "Since when were you two in contact with that old bastard?" He seethed.

Sirius grimaced again while raising a hand placatingly at him. "Now, it's not what you're thinking. It was.. well.."

"It was only the once." Remus added hastily, laying his palm on Regulus' thigh. Regulus pointedly ignored the flutter he felt at the contact as Remus smiled charmingly at him, _handsome bastard._ "Dumbledore asked us to come to his office one day, it was right before we were due to leave. Maybe a couple days before graduation."

Nodding, Sirius added. "Yes! Only the once! And, well, not much really happened. It was when you were off at your Arithmancy exam, he just asked us to speak with him for a bit and although I didn't want to-" Sirius said pointedly, "James and Remus-"

"Thought that it couldn't hurt to just hear what he had to say." Remus glared at Sirius, "Don't act like it wasn't a good idea. We're better off hearing what he has to say first. No point coming across as openly hostile to such a powerful man."

Regulus shivered slightly, "How very Slytherin off you, my love."

"You're rubbing off on me sweetheart. Can't help but pick up a trick or two, can I?" Remus smirked at him, amber eyes glinting as Regulus felt his heartbeat increase at the sultry tone of his boyfriend's voice. 

As time had gone on with the two spending pretty much all their days side by side, they had gotten a lot more comfortable with their flirting. They had also become much closer in terms of their relationship. Spending nights under the stars or afternoons strolling around the estate hand-in-hand. They had even wandered throughout the many rooms, laughing and chasing each other or making fun of some of the portraits.

Though, more often than not, they could be found in the library curled up in a corner somewhere, reading. Either separately or to each other.

Sirius glared at them both. "No." He said, flicking at them both. "Bad boys."

Regulus only tilted his head, "I'm usually a good boy." He hummed, sending a devious smirk at Remus, "But I _could_ be bad."

Remus swallowed, eyes darkening as he examined the pale stretch of Regulus throat. "Perhaps-"

"No." Sirius groaned. "Stop it. Fucking hell."

Regulus snickered, "Sorry. It's too easy." And it really was. They'd made a point to try and raise Sirius' blood pressure whenever they could, purely because of the sickened reactions he always gave them.

"True." Remus hummed, sipping his drink and placing back on the coaster. Oddly, Regulus felt his heart rate quicken at that. Something about Remus' polite, cleanliness turned him on. Salazar, Regulus was weird. "Anyway. We only popped in to see what he'd say. He asked us to join the Order, obviously. Not exactly surprising."

"Hm." Regulus nodded slowly, coming back to the topic. "That was to be expected. You three were the top of your year group in every academic year. It would be a great loss for his little scheme to not have you three. Or at least one of you."

Sirius grinned, "Yeah, well. You should have seen his face when we _all_ said no."

Remus snickered, "It was brilliant, love. His whole demeanour changed."

"He probably thought you'd all say yes." Regulus tilted his head curiously, "He definitely wouldn't have expected Sirius to outright say no, but out of the three of you he wouldn't have been as surprised. Especially not since Sirius is now the Heir of the Blacks. Dumbledore would know the political ramifications of that."

Sirius nodded happily, "Yep! Then he went all sad and disappointed to Remus. Brought up 'his kind' and how it was unlikely that they'd side with the Ministry."

"Especially since it's the Ministry that has made it almost impossible for werewolves to lead a normal life." Remus snorted. Remus waved a hand when he saw Regulus scowling, "Seriously, I don't mind what he says. He isn't exactly wrong. My kind _are_ on Voldemort's side for the most part." He shrugged.

Regulus wrinkled his nose. "Still. Although, I'll admit, I would have _loved_ to see his face when James Potter, Gryffindor extraordinaire said no." He added slyly.

Sirius barked out a laugh, throwing his head backwards. "It was brilliant! James didn't even hesitate! Just flat out said that he would be too busy with Auror training and he could fight back that way."

Regulus smiled softly, "Oh, James."

"I miss the prat." Sirius sighed before he waved the letter. "That's what this is about."

"Dumbledore tried again?" Regulus asked astutely.

Remus nodded, "Yes. But not only that, he tried to rope James' parents into it." At Regulus wide-eyes, Remus elaborated. "Key word there is tried."

"Ah, of course." Regulus nodded slowly. "Euphemia would never try to force James into anything."

"Fleamont wouldn't either." Sirius added. "But, yeah. Euphemia would never. Dumbledore tried to appeal to them to encourage James to join or to at least attend one meeting to see how he felt. But obviously, James said no. Again."

Regulus shook his head, "Ridiculous."

"More like annoying." Sirius snickered, "James used about three different languages to express his frustration. I honestly think half of this last paragraph is ineligible." Sirius grinned, flicking the parchment so that it was closer to Regulus.

With a huff, he picked up the letter and carefully scanned through it. Well. James certainly did have a colourful vocabulary. It was odd really, he couldn't imagine seeing James so angry. Oh how he wished the boy were here. And not just because he happened to really miss him. Which he didn't. Obviously. 

Bloody hell, how times had changed.

Regulus Black missed James Potter. How _appalling._

It was true however that the final paragraph didn't make much sense. And the letter that followed was just various drawings of an old man dead on the floor with the odd gravestone sprinkled throughout. 

"I didn't know James could draw." He hummed, nodding at the graphic drawings.

Remus' shocked laughter and Sirius' mad cackling was music to his ears.

"Why _hello,_ gorgeous." James grinned as he took Regulus' hand to press a kiss to his knuckles. "You look utterly enchanting, my dear."

"Thank you, handsome." Regulus purred, pushing up to the tips of his toes to press a kiss to James' cheek. "I could say the same for you. Look, you even managed to do your hair."

"He noticed!" James gushed, pressing a hand to his heart. "Such a gentleman."

Regulus grinned, "You look really good, Jamie." He added softly. "I missed you."

"Missed you more, ickle baby Black." James grinned back, kissing him on his forehead.

"Should I feel jealous?" Remus asked from the side of their little huddle. "Maybe I should feel jealous."

"No point." Lily sighed, brushing back her thick, red locks and huffing as she wobbled slightly on her heels. "Stupid things. James, stop bloody flirting with your boyfriend and get me a drink."

James smiled at her winningly. "Ah! The lovely lady Lily recognises my devotion to my darling star!"

"I thought that was me." Sirius beamed.

James gasped, "Oh no. All three of my lovers in one place, whatever shall I do?"

"Start by getting me a drink, Potter." Lily huffed, "I'm thirsty. I hate using the Floo."

"Me too." Regulus agreed, before turning to Remus. "Darling, could you get me a drink?" He asked innocently, widening his eyes up at his boyfriend.

"Of course." Remus smiled gently, turning to leave.

James made an offended noise. "Oi! You're not allowed to out-boyfriend me." He scowled, stalking off after Remus. "Oi! Moony!"

Sirius shook his head and turned to Regulus. "You're too clever for your own good."

"And I am very thankful." Lily nodded sagely before giving Regulus a smile. "You do look good though. I understand why my boyfriend is in love with you."

Regulus laughed, taking her hand to kiss the back of her knuckles as was custom. "You look beautiful." He smiled at her. "And please, even Aunt Cassie knows James is completely gone for you. He's just.. James."

Sirius snorted, "Can say that again." He said, gesturing to the drinks table. James was batting at Remus' hands every time he tried to take the little goblets from the table, shoving him every so often and heatedly talking while he waved his hands wildly. "He's a bloody handful."

Lily's eyes softened slightly and her gait relaxed. Regulus thought it was a bit kind to say James was a handful, but the lovestruck look Lily was sending him was so cute that he couldn't quite get the words out. "He is." She murmured, green eyes brightening as she watched her wizard.

"Hello there." Regulus heard Sirius say and he turned with a gentle smile towards his cousin.

It had been a spur of the moment decision from Arcturus to throw a ball instead of a family dinner.

Apparently, general consensus for now was that family dinner's were _not a very good idea_. Not with the Blacks, anyway. The political climate had drawn a thick jagged line through the family and so it was best to avoid direct conflict. It had instead been decided that perhaps a ball would be a better idea. Much more amicable and less pressure on keeping good form. One could mingle as they pleased and you could bring guests as long as you asked first. There was no need for it to be solely family.

Much more palatable. It put a whole room full of people between the various factions of the Black family. You didn't have to be forced to sit beside someone you did not like or at the same table as a _muggleborn._

Regulus had obviously chosen to take Remus as his date and although Sirius was _officially_ bringing Lily, James was at the party due to the attendance of his parents. Cassie had been quite disappointed that she couldn't claim James as her own, much to Lily's amusement. Apparently, Lily found Cassie having a crush on her boyfriend to be quite hilarious. It did not surprise Regulus that she wasn't the least bit worried, even the daftest Hufflepuff first year could tell that James Potter was completely enamoured with Lily Evans. 

Lily _could_ have come as James' plus-one, but then she wouldn't be as protected by the more Dark inclined families that were all glaring at her disdainfully. How dare a _muggleborn_ be at the same gala as them.

Luckily, Ted Tonks was also in attendance. Meaning there were _two_ muggleborns in the room, how beautiful.

The man was currently arm-in-arm with his wife, their daughter rapidly conversing with her Aunt Narcissa who looked increasingly more endeared by her as the seconds wore on. 

"It's good to see you, Cousin." Regulus smiled after the pleasantries were over with. Lily looked uncertainly at Narcissa for a moment before squaring her shoulders and dipping her head politely.

"It is nice to see you all." Lily smiled, green eyes sparkling as she looked at Nymphadora who had turned away from Narcissa with an excited squeal. 

"Can I have it?" Nymphadora asked, bouncing over to Lily with a grin. "Your eyes are so pretty! And so is your hair! I've never seen it like that, it's usually more orange. Are you like me?"

Lily blinked down at the child before she looked up uncertainly. Andromeda smiled at her reassuringly. "This is Nymphadora."

 _"Stupid name."_ Dora murmured.

Lily's lips pressed together to hide her amusement and Regulus snickered as Andromeda gave an exasperated look to her younger sister by her side. 

"We're back!" James announced. In his hands he was somehow balancing four large goblets, all without spilling a single drop. Regulus looked at him feeling slightly bemused. From what he could tell, there was no magic involved. "Got the drinks!" Which would have been more impressive if the boy had counted correctly.

Sirius took one, handing another to Regulus whilst Lily took another. James frowned down at his hands as he passed Remus his drink. "Oh."

"Idiot." Remus rolled his eyes, addressing the group. "Wouldn't let me take any for myself but then he forgets to get his own."

James huffed, "Well-"

A soft pop sounded and a goblet appeared by James' face who jumped back slightly. He looked around cautiously after taking the floating goblet before muttering, "Thank you, Kreacher."

Regulus giggled. His little friend had become so much happier and lighter after all of the Horcruxes were destroyed. The lack of Walburga Black poisoning his mind also seemed to have helped him gain back much of his former pride and he was now a proud house-elf of the Blacks. That of course meant that he was now of the opinion that James and Remus were the _good sort_ and he was actually _happy_ to serve them both.

He had been clearly displeased when James told him that Lily Evans, a _muggleborn,_ would be attending the ball. But his distaste for those of her blood status was slowly declining and certainly paled in comparison to his newfound liking of James. Therefore, he would behave.

"So, how have you all been?" Andromeda asked pleasantly, prompting a new round of conversation.

Surprisingly, the Black ball had been a success. With only a handful of snide comments directed at Lily who had returned them equally as acidly with her quick wit, the whole evening had gone by pretty well. Of course, it hadn't stopped people from glaring disdainfully at her, but she certainly didn't care.

Regulus felt his admiration the witch grow slightly at that. She had handled it all with an effortless grace and her unimpressed borderline _disinterested_ stares had unnerved the purebloods. They weren't used to being looked at with such indifference and some of them had turned their dislike into pure loathing. So much so that he had warned James about this. Lily Evans was now a target of many of the purebloods and it was only a matter of time before word came back to Voldemort.

Speaking of Voldemort, they'd spoken very little about how to tackle the man and his continued existence.

While destroying the Horcruxes was great, they didn't really have any idea on how to go after Voldemort. Thanks to Regulus' map, they knew his location at all times. However, that wasn't _much_ of a boon when you add the large security detail he had and his immense power.

So, for the meanwhile, Voldemort was on the back burner. Besides, they'd all done very well in making him mortal and at least in Regulus' opinion, this reprieve was much needed.

James, Remus and Sirius had been oddly quiet about the upcoming celebrations which had set him on edge.

Celebrations meaning Regulus' _birthday._ Which, was the next day. Yet, nothing had been said.

They had been sat at the breakfast table when four thick envelopes appeared at the dining table of the Black estate. James was with them to discuss Regulus' birthday _which was the next day so why the fuck were they all acting like nothing was happening_. But, whatever. Regulus refused to pout.

He deserved attention, though, surely? After the awful year he'd had... Was he not entitled to a little praise? To a nice day of celebrating his existence?

The envelopes however posed an immense distraction. Grandfather had stared down at the boys when the house elf popped the letters on their empty plates where they had just finished breakfast. 

Clearing his throat, Grandfather inclined his head slowly. "These appeared by owl early this morning."

"This _morning-_ How early?" Regulus demanded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Grandfather raised a brow amusedly, "I knew it was best to keep it from you until you had eaten. Else, you'd have refused to eat from stress."

Sirius snickered, picking up his envelope easily. "That's nothing but the truth."

With a matching snigger, James picked up his own envelope. "Come on boys, let's see how well Reggie tutored us." He said before tearing open his letter. Sirius did the same calmly, lifting the parchment out with a detached interest. Remus was a little slower, anxiously biting his lip as he unfolded the parchment to examine his results.

Sirius let out a whoop, _he'd always been a fast reader_ , Regulus thought distantly. "All O's except for an E in Arithmancy!"

"Same!" James beamed, leaping to his feet. "Bloody hell, an Outstanding in _Runes?_ Am I in another dimension?"

Sirius cackled, joining James and leaning over to inspect his parchment. "Look at us. Twins." He winked.

James grinned at him, butting their foreheads together. "My soulmate!"

"The other half of mine soul!"

Regulus rolled his eyes at their antics. Such idiocy. Instead, Regulus turned his attention to his boyfriend beside him, patting his thigh softly. "Love?"

Remus was staring down at his parchment with wide eyes and Regulus furrowed his brows uncertainly. Breaching Remus' privacy was generally a firm no, but his boyfriend was as still as the gargoyle statues on the roof of the manor. To sate his own curiosity, Regulus snatched the parchment from his boyfriend's hands, smoothing it out in front of him and inspecting it closely. After flicking his eyes down the results section, his jaw dropped. 

"Moony." He breathed, _"Darling,_ this is-"

"All O's." Remus muttered. "All Outstanding."

James made a noise and Sirius dropped his jaw to match Regulus' expression, "Huh?"

"He- Moony, love. This is brilliant." He breathed, turning to Remus reverently. "You did it, love!"

Remus was shaking slightly, a smile slowly overcoming his features. "I did it." He turned to Regulus with ecstatic eyes, "Thanks to you, angel."

Regulus shook his head adamantly, "No way! This was all you." Remus ignored his words, grabbing him and pulling him close to look him in the eyes. "Moony?" He murmured, lips brushing.

"I love you." Remus mumbled, connecting their lips gently, feverishly kissing him while he murmured every so often. "My lovely, my everything." Regulus felt heat pool within his abdomen and pressed closer to Remus, happily returning his passionate kisses, tangling his fingers in Remus' hair - his favourite place to grab him when they kissed as well as cupping his face. He felt their tongues meet softly and Regulus returned Remus' eager embrace, pulling him even closer so their chests were touching. "Love you."

"I love you so much, Moony. _Remus."_ He mumbled, stroking his thumb down his face and scratching at Remus' scalp making him groan softly into the kiss as Regulus nipped his lower lip. 

The clearing of his grandfather's throat snapped Regulus back to attention and he hastily pulled away, cursing his ruddy cheeks and slick lips. Remus was in a similar state, eyes burning into the side of Regulus' face with an unmistakeable lust. Regulus shivered. As time progressed, Regulus found himself not minding the more intimate moments and he wondered how long it would be before he threw caution to the wind and just started begging for Remus like a Kneazle in heat.

He was _pathetic._

"Always ruin everything." Sirius was grumbling to himself.

"Young love is like that." Grandfather hummed, "Although, I would appreciate it if you would not do that at my dining table."

"Wait, Reggie. Did you open your letter?" James asked after Remus and Regulus had stuttered out their apologies and Sirius continued to pout.

Regulus nervously eyed the letter he had opened but not yet read, meeting Remus' eye desperately. His lovely boyfriend who knew him far too well just smiled, easily picking up the letter and quickly reading it. Within seconds, he passed the parchment back. "Guess _we_ match as well." Was all Remus said, laying the parchment out on Regulus' plate.

With a squeak of happiness, Regulus read the contents, a satisfied grin on his face. He sniffed, tilting his chin up, "As expected."

"Swot!" Sirius cried, "And you're a dunce if you thought you'd get anything less than straight O's."

"Calling me stupid shortly after calling me smart." Regulus curled his lip, "Fool."

"Exactly." James rolled his eyes but beamed at Regulus, "Well done though, puppy. This calls for celebration."

"First." Grandfather cleared his throat as another letter appeared on Regulus' plate. "I believe, you will want to look at that."

James' eyes widened and his grin turned manic, "Oh this is _fantastic._ "

Sirius was looking between them all suspiciously while Remus bit back a grin. Regulus felt a strange excitement overtake him. He wasn't _stupid._ He knew there were only two letters sent out if you had been made Quidditch Captain or Head Boy or Girl as there was a slip to be signed to confirm you would take up the badge and all of it's accompanying duties. The same was for prefects. And as Regulus had _been_ a prefect, he knew what this meant.

With an extra dash of satisfaction, he tore open the letter, letting the badge drop to the table with a soft clink. Except, there were _two_ badges. One said Quidditch Captain while the other, Head Boy. Surprising, honestly. Regulus had expected Head Boy, especially considering Slughorn's abundant praise that he showered him with. But being made the Captain of the Slytherin team was a surprise. Bearing in mind that most of the team hated him for being a blood traitor, he had expected the badge to go to someone else.

"Good on you, Reg!" Sirius beamed, "Rare that they do both."

"It is." Remus agreed, cheeks bunched up from how largely he was smiling.

Grandfather hummed curiously, "You do not seem an ounce surprised." He directed this towards James who was ruffling his hair, a nervous tick he had and Regulus narrowed his eyes at the boy.

 _"Jamie."_ He said, tone pointed.

James huffed, "Well! Did you know that when you give your Head Boy badge back, you're asked to recommend your successor? Same as Quidditch Captain! And, _well,_ you're a brilliant student and an even better Seeker. Although, 'cause you're a Slytherin I know Gryffindor is going to lose our winning streak this year, but that's alright. Minnie was surprised that I'd named a Slytherin in any case. Said I've _matured."_ He said proudly.

Regulus sighed but felt a smile tug at his lips, "Thank you very much, Jamie."

"You're welcome." James chirped happily. "It's not like I was being biased. Well. No, I was. But, it's still true! You're a star on the pitch and you'll make a great Head Boy. Other than you, I don't think anyone was even in the running for Head Boy this year!"

Regulus smiled wider, "Thank you, James. I'll take very good care of your precious badge."

 _"Yours_ now!" His brother beamed, reaching over the table to ruffle his hair. "Good on you, baby brother!"

"How I wish you would stop doing that." Regulus huffed, smoothing his hair down. "Now, what was that about celebrations?" He said slightly pointedly.

The three boys shared mischievous grins, looking far too much like they'd just thought of a brilliant prank for his liking. Regulus turned to his grandfather with a pleading look only to see the man smirking at him slightly, eyebrows high on his forehead. Regulus groaned. Whatever this was, he already didn't like it.

"Well, now that you _mention_ it.." Remus trailed off casually.

"We _did_ have something in mind." James finished.

Sirius jumped to his feet again, "And now, we have _so_ many reasons to celebrate. So it's only right that we start this, hm, right now!"

Regulus went to speak but he was suddenly grabbed by his boyfriend and pulled to his feet, the three other boys sharing a single glance before winking at Regulus, simply calling out that he had ten minutes to get ready before they'd be leaving.

Idiots. As if perfection only took ten minutes - they would bloody well wait as long as he needed!

"I can not _believe_ you." Regulus grumbled as he glanced around.

Sirius beamed at him, clapping him on the shoulder. "You love it! Great!"

"He looks ready to murder you." James snickered and Regulus turned his ire onto him instead. 

Remus tutted lightly, "Love, it's not that bad."

"It's not even my birthday yet!"

"Close enough." Sirius huffed. "Tomorrow, today - who cares!"

"Me? Perhaps?" Regulus sniped, "By that logic, I shan't be celebrating your birthday this year at all."

"Wait, no. That's not how that works." Sirius frowned.

Regulus looked away and instead stared at the muggles around him. Muggles. Because, in Sirius' infinite wisdom, he had been dragged to a muggle town by the coast. Seriously, there were seemingly no wizards anywhere and Regulus was pretty good at spotting magical folk, they never knew how to blend in.

Remus snickered, "Do try not to look so disgusted."

"Really doing the Slytherins proud with the way you've got your pointy nose up in the air." James rolled his eyes.

"My nose is most certainly not pointy." Regulus snapped, "And this is disgusting! That man over there- look at him!" He gestured to the muggle man leaning against a post, smoking and spitting on the ground every few seconds. He kept snorting loudly and hacking out wet coughs, glaring at anyone who dared to look at him with distaste. 

Remus wrinkled his nose, "Alright. I'll admit, this isn't the best place the portkey could have brought us."

"It's abysmal!" Regulus whined.

With a laugh, Sirius wrapped his arm around Regulus' thin shoulders. "Ickle puppy, don't pout. This is for your birthday, after all! At least give us a chance."

"This isn't even your surprise anyway." James waved a hand, "The real gem... is over _there."_ James said, nodding behind Regulus who turned around curiously.

Curse his insatiable need to know everything.

Regulus turned, however reluctantly, and raised an eyebrow. The beach was sprawled out in the distance and Regulus had to admit, it was beautiful. Gentle teal waves lapped at a golden brown beach, the sun shining off of the rock piles and making the water glitter as it danced over the beach. Regulus shivered slightly. As much as he could admit it was a sight to behold, seeing the large body of water and the rocks made him anxious. 

Biting his lip, he turned to the three with a questioning raise of his eyebrow. There was no way they had forgotten his fear of water. So he must be missing something.

Sirius beamed, grabbing his shoulders and gently turning him to the pier. "Look over there." He murmured.

With another huff, Regulus followed the line of Remus' arm as he was very helpfully pointing to the large pier he could barely make out. Regulus blinked in confusion before tilting his head. 

"Is that.. one of those park things?" Regulus questioned, jutting his chin in the direction of the pier.

Remus laughed, "Yes!"

"So.. what does it do?" Regulus asked confusedly.

James snickered, "You'll have to see for yourself."

As he glanced around the pier, he could see a very large section that was gated off. The.. amusement park? He still wasn't sure of the name and the distinction didn't seem to matter too much, not judging by Remus' explanation. Apparently the terms could sometimes be used interchangeably - confusing. Then again, it was muggle. Therefore he honestly hadn't paid much attention no matter how fascinating he found their technology and such.

They moved closer and Regulus was more than happy to leave the dirty old man behind as they neared the park. There were large.. things snaking around the park, all painted bright colours and the odd cluster of flashing lights. Regulus had to blink several times, squinting at the sign that read 'Blackpool Pleasure Beach'. 

"This is the place Ted spoke about." Regulus remembered.

Remus blinked before nodding slowly, "Yes. I hadn't been sure it was a good idea.. what with the beach so close by. But-"

"No, it's fine." Regulus swallowed. They wouldn't pressure him to swim and he could see that the majority of the park was very clearly separated from the beach. Every so often, his heart rate would spike as a loud wave roared in the distance but he ignored it. The cacophony of sounds from the theme park were distracting enough and he never thought he'd be so thankful for the inherent noisiness of muggles.

"Bloody hell." James murmured, "Louder than I was expecting."

"Really?" Remus snorted. "I described this whole place as well as I could and I know full well I didn't forget to mention how noisy it was."

"The machines are loud." James pouted.

Sirius scoffed, "You're a bloody idiot. Of course they're loud! They can't use silencing or deafening charms, can they?" He said grandly, gesturing with his hands.

Remus hissed and batted at him after two elder muggle women gave Sirius dubious looks, "Idiot." He grumbled as he rubbed a hand across his forehead, "How the bloody hell are you two going to be Aurors."

"Oi! At least _I'm_ not breaking the secrecy laws!" James huffed.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Shut up. You'll be the one begging for a sticking charm when you're on that." He said, pointing at one of the large contraptions zipping around on a track. Regulus' eyes widened as the part the muggles were seated in looped upside down, causing a peel of cut off screams from the riders.

"Oh Merlin." Regulus murmured, eyes lighting up. It was like when he would do a daring dive on his broom, only more dangerous. There was no magic here. This was a purely muggle invention, therefore, using magic would interfere with the way it worked. A very stupid clause that, honestly, he was pretty sure was only still a problem because it stopped wizards from risking their privacy by just using magic in front of muggles. If there weren't so many muggles in comparison to wizards, he didn't doubt that they'd all be a lot more open in using their magic. Unfortunately, muggles liked to kill or control what they didn't understand, so they had to be discreet.

James' eyes widened. "Woah! How do they _do_ that?"

"It's far too difficult to explain." Remus curled his lip at James.

"You probably don't even know." James groused. "What's that?" He said, frowning at a small rectangular box.

Remus' eyebrows shot up, "That's where they check if you're allowed in the park."

"Huh?" James furrowed his brows.

"Yep. If you fail, you're taken to muggle prison. They take a blood sample and make you take physical exam. It's easy though. They got rid of the poisoned darts so it's just jumping through fire rings and hopscotch with weights on your feet." Remus shrugged, moving into the line.

Regulus blinked at James' lost expression. "Lily didn't mention that." James mumbled anxiously.

Sirius was biting his lip uncertainly, eyes flicking between the line and the lady at the booth. "You're not serious, right Moony?"

Remus frowned. "Of course I am. Sirius, muggles take protection _very_ seriously. If they don't have magic, how else do you think they protect themselves?" He whispered as the queue began to take place.

"But- But-" James was shaking his head, "Fire rings?"

"Well, yes." Remus nodded once, "Oh. Don't forget the history test."

 _"Test?"_ Sirius squeaked. 

Regulus couldn't believe they were falling for this. Remus gave another solemn nod, face more serious than he'd ever seen him. "It's just a simple set of questions. Asks you about the current monarchs or parliament members. Sometimes they throw in a wildcard like asking about the reign of a specific King or Queen. One time I had to jump on one leg, balance twelve plates and name every reigning monarch of England from William the first to the current reigning Queen Elizabeth the second."

"What?" James gasped. 

"They threw rocks at me the whole time as well." Remus bemoaned. As he said this, the person at the front of the line suddenly waved their arms about wildly. "He's being kicked out. Failed, obviously. Probably forgot when the Magna Carta was published." Remus muttered, eyes curious.

The lady at the little desk was staring up at the man unimpressed as she called for security to escort him out. He was shouting something about a woman named Margaret and that they would see the truth in the next election. Remus muttered something about ' _Tory pricks_ ' and the line moved forward as if nothing happened. 

Regulus was beginning to wonder if perhaps Remus _hadn't_ been joking, especially as nobody seemed very surprised that the well dressed man had debased himself to screaming. A woman behind them was scoffing, mumbling the word 'Thatcher' with a few disparaging words. Must be a muggle thing he didn't understand.

"Godric." Sirius hissed as one of the security guards gave up and used some object to make the man jerk wildly and fall over. "What was that?"

"Taser." Remus murmured interestedly, "Must be an off duty police officer or some hired force. Security can't use them, it's illegal. Although, the man did attack the other officer." He said, nodding at the other guard that was on all fours clutching his bloodied nose. The well dressed man was limp on the floor, the officer only calmly slipping handcuffs on him as he groggily tried to get up again.

James was gaping at the man, "Is- Is he dead?"

"No. Just stunned." Remus hummed, turning back to the counter. "It just pumps you full of electricity."

"Isn't there a spell like that?" Sirius muttered to himself.

Regulus nodded, entering the conversation. "Yes. But it just mimics the muggle method. It was created by a pureblood that had a muggle wife. The technique fascinated him. Of course, nobody likes to use it as it replicates something muggle."

Sirius shrugged. "Seems mighty effective to me. It looked like a more painful stunning spell."

"It is painful." Remus interjected from where he was fiddling with some money. Papery and very odd looking, Regulus noticed, so definitely muggle. "Just a small shock can hurt and make your hair stick up. One of those tasers to your chest? If you've got a weak heart, it'll kill you."

James' jaw dropped. "I don't think I like being here anymore."

"Tough. This is for Regulus and I know he'll love it." Remus said uncaringly as they approached the lady behind the counter. Remus smiled charmingly and Regulus frowned as the former blank expression on the lady's face turned slightly coy, her cheeks pinkening. "Hello, there. Four day passes, please."

The girl giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked at the four boys. She lingered longer on Remus, seeming to like his gentle smile and not caring about the small scar on his jaw - the rest had all faded thanks to his mate bond with Regulus. The girl, Laura as her name tag showed, looked at James for a moment before gazing at Sirius with much more interest. Regulus was barely spared a glance, her eyes going between Remus and Sirius eagerly. He could hear James make a slightly offended huff and Regulus kicked his ankle. _Idiot._

"Of course!" She chirped, voice pitching as she collected the money from Remus and procured four identical red wristbands. James hummed happily at the colour and Regulus huffed as the girl reached forward to place the band on Remus' wrist. 

Quickly, he snatched the band away from her, glaring as he did so. "I think we can manage that ourselves." He spat nastily.

She pursed her lips unhappily but as Sirius gave her a winning smile, she relented. "You're free to stay all day. Prices for any additional attractions are posted around the park. Please enjoy your stay and _do_ come again." She simpered, batting her lashes at Sirius.

Sirius only nodded, completely ignoring the girl's blatant flirting, "Come on, ickle brother." He beamed, "We've got things to do."

James was looking around warily, "Where's the security?"

Remus rolled his eyes as they moved out of the line and entered the park, "I was joking, you muppet."

"Oi! I'm not a- a that." James frowned.

Sirius blinked as they looked around, "Wait. So no test?"

Regulus sighed, "You two are so bloody dense. It's a miracle you did so well on your exams."

"It is, isn't it." Remus snickered before giving Regulus a cheeky wink, "Now. I must ask. Were you jealous, my dear?"

"Naught to be jealous of. I see no competition." He huffed, tugging on his wristband. "Can we go?"

Remus leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek before flicking his eyes around uncertainly as he backed away. With a frown, Regulus wondered why he had done that. At the slight fear in Remus' eyes, Regulus remembered the time Remus had mentioned how not many muggles were very _accepting_ of same-sex relationships and he grimaced at the thought of what could happen if people realised they were together. The only person he could get away with clinging to today would be Sirius as their relation to each other was clear if they stood side-by-side.

James frowned, glancing around uncertainly. "You're sure?"

"There's no bloody test." Regulus rolled his eyes, "Remus was joking." He repeated. Honestly, he felt for Lily. Hopefully any future children would inherit all of her intelligence else they'd be doomed.

"Just cruel." James grumbled as a girl bumped into him, chasing after what was clearly her younger sister on a sugar rush. "Bloody hell. What even _is_ that thing?" James asked, pointing at the large tube of powder in the girl's little fist.

"Rainbow dust. Or fairy dust. A stick of pure sugar." Remus shook his head, "Nobody let James have one."

"Now I want to give him several." Sirius said cheekily.

"They-" James gaped, "Is that from a real fairy?"

Regulus' eyes fluttered shut as his two foolish brothers gasped in horror, eyes darting to Remus demandingly. Why, why were they such idiots? They were both so ridiculously smart yet they lacked all common sense.

Remus nodded sadly, "Terrible business."

And fuck his boyfriend for being so cruel. It was hilarious, but honestly, he should know better. Sirius looked ready to fight the little girl out of pure indignance and James looked fit to vomit.

Regulus watched as the little girl tripped, giggling madly as she scraped her knee roughly, not caring at all about the blood dripping from her knee as she jumped up again and ran away from her older sister. Regulus chuckled at the confusion on his brother's face, nudging him slightly. 

"Where first?"

Regulus couldn't _believe_ how much fun he was having.

They had immediately gone to one of the bigger attractions, a wooden rollercoaster by the name of the Grand National. At first, he had protested loudly. The thing was made of wood and pulled by a chain! There was no way he'd be getting on such a dangerous contraption! One lit match or quick spark and they'd be done for!

Only, he hadn't had much of a choice.

Sirius and James had quite literally dragged him to the entrance of the ride while Remus pretended to not hear his struggles and frantic cursing. If he could, he'd have hexed the lot of them. But as a precaution, they'd all holstered their wands. In the current political climate, they would be risking their lives by being outside wandless, but stowing their wands under their sleeves was as close as they'd get.

"Hate you." Regulus grumbled when they were sat in the little car for the ride. Remus had only smiled at him while Sirius and James chattered excitedly. He had to admit, he had been curious too and when the ride started with a sharp screech, he had worried for his safety.

However, after the trip, he had been flushed with excitement. It had been fun! They had gone of several rides after including a very large set of spinning teacups, a carousel, a flying machine and a ride that went upside down and rocked them from side-to-side called the Icon. His cheeks were bright red from exertion, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he dragged Sirius towards the next ride he wanted to go on.

They had just gotten out of the Ghost Train, a fairly embarrassingly weak ride that had actually managed to frighten James the most out of all of them. Sirius and Regulus had been the least affected; years of having Walburga Black suddenly appear with her wand raised and a twist to her lips had made the poor mechanical grim reaper pale in comparison. The loud sounds and flashy lights had just made Regulus giggle and Remus had spent pretty much the whole ride staring at Regulus, at least, according to his brother he had.

"And if I was? He's just so pretty. Can you blame me?" Remus sniped before batting his lashes, "As a werewolf, I am attracted to the beauties of the night, and you happen to be the most beautiful star in the sky. The glow of your cheeks is a source of envy for the moon-"

"Right!" James clapped his hands, "Enough of that. Can we sit down? I'm bloody starving."

"We can do that after! It'll help settle your stomach. This one's a nasty one." Remus said, pointing at the white tracked coaster they were lining up for.

James frowned as he looked at the track, following it along with his eyes as a set of riders in a cherry red car began to soar through the air. Sirius snorted, "It looks fine. A loop and a couple high parts?" He waved a hand, "Piece of piss!" They had moved further along the line, eager to get on. Regulus himself was bouncing on his feet, adrenaline coursing through him.

"I'm surprised, you know?" Remus hummed. "I thought you'd like it, but I didn't think you'd be such an adrenaline junkie."

"Really?" James snorted, "You've seen him fly. Just about breaks his neck every time."

"Which is why he can kick _your_ arse on the pitch." Sirius cackled, "You're a right coward. One little incline and you lose it."

James squawked offendedly. "Excuse you? I'm a star Chaser! Captain of my team!"

"Not anymore _old man_." Regulus grinned, "You're not even a student anymore. Next thing you know, you'll be going grey and calling children _young'uns_."

James pouted and patted at his own hair as if to check it was all still there and not suddenly thinning or falling out. Remus smirked as the previous ride finished, the line hurriedly moving along, stopping altogether. Regulus grabbed Sirius' hand, "You and me?"

Sirius nodded happily, "Moony's been hogging you for a bit. And, let's be honest, Jamie's too much of a Hufflepuff. Screams 'til you're deaf."

James muttered angrily as Remus shoved him into the car and Regulus snickered as he climbed in carefully, Sirius' hand on his back steadying him. "This is fun."

"Moony's idea." Sirius shrugged as the attendant checked they were in securely. "We wanted to try and be dramatic and make you think we'd forgotten your birthday or something. But we didn't have the heart." Sirius grinned.

Regulus rolled his eyes, "As if _you_ would ever forget my birthday." He mumbled. "Remus wouldn't either."

"Nor would I!" James called, leaning forward as much as he could from where the two boys were behind them. "I know your birthdays!"

"When's mine?" Remus asked quickly.

James went silent, eyes narrowing. "Um. It's before mine, I know that."

"Wanker." Sirius snorted, making the lady in front of them with her teenage son gasp offendedly. "Sorry, ma'am." Sirius said, giving her a charming grin. The older woman flushed slightly but sniffed as she turned away, ignoring her son's incredulous look. Sirius winked at the man who looked roughly a year or so older than them, making him blush as he turned away. "Still got it." Sirius mumbled with a grin.

"Sickening." Regulus scoffed.

"As if you and your darling Moonbeam are much better." He said in a sickly sweet voice. Just as Regulus went to reply, the attendant from earlier called for them all to tuck themselves in and gave a few other basic instructions. The ride began with a hiss as the hydraulics pushed the cart into motion along the track. They set off fairly quickly, zipping along the metal frame and over a little hill, through a loop and along a twisting track to a platform.

Behind him, he could hear James screeching to himself as Remus laughed loudly. Sirius and Regulus had their hands joined, grinning as they came to a quick stop.

James huffed, "Is it broken?" He asked as the riders all began chattering excitedly. Regulus assumed some had either been here before or had watched the previous ride as they didn't seem at all surprised. Regulus and Sirius shared a mildly confused frown but Remus seemed unconcerned. The cart had moved along slowly, right until it hit the end of the track before pausing. They stayed completely still for a few seconds before the coaster abruptly jerked backwards, the whole car flying in reverse causing all of the riders to scream.

Regulus had let out his own shriek of surprise before he began laughing in time with his brother who was excitedly tugging on his hand. James was screaming, shocked laughter bursting out of him as they flew backwards through the loops, rocking from side to side and moving blindly along the track in reverse.

It was hearing the laughter of his brothers and his boyfriend that eased something in his chest. For weeks he'd carried around a sort of tension, an anticipation for what was surely to come. It was easy to forget that they were only young. Regulus was still technically a child and he would still be considered a child until he graduated Hogwarts next year. His brothers and his boyfriend had all only _just_ left school, taking their first steps into the real world as adults.

A world which was currently plagued by a war. A war that could only be won once Voldemort was defeated.

Regulus hadn't allowed himself much time to relax in the past year. Instead, spending as much time as he could preparing himself and readying for a battle that he knew was fast approaching.

For now, however, he let himself relax against the seat before jumping out of the ride once it was over, tugging his three pack members in the direction of the various food stations with a beaming grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! Tell me your thoughts below !! Flirty Jegulus makes my day. They're such good pals. Also, Lily!!
> 
> Now, technically some of the rides I described/mentioned were not invented at this time period (late 70's, most were created at least 20 years later) BUT this is fanFICTION for a reason! So, I took some liberties! Though I try to stay to the time period as much as possible - for example, the homophobia that was in no way hidden or the use of cash instead of credit/debit cards! And of course the mention of Margaret Thatcher and the upcoming election that would take place the next year.
> 
> I also took some liberties describing the rollercoasters - I tried to make some more interesting or whatever. These boys are wizards! They're used to zooming around on brooms and battling Horcruxes - a Ghost Train with boring jumpscares are nothing!!
> 
> And- don't worry! The plot will pick up soon and it won't be all sweet. I'm just trying to transition from the final Horcrux acquisition + the death of Walburga + the Horcrux destruction. Next chapter, the plot shall pick up again!!


	39. The Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus hates muggle cars, whines a lot and meets the Lupins. 
> 
> Meanwhile, a storm begins to brew.

Regulus glared disdainfully at the floor of the glorified moving box they were in.

Every so often, he would jerk roughly to the side, causing the irritatingly coarse strap across his body to dig into his chest. Regulus pouted as they continued to drive, cheeks puffing in his displeasure. He hated this. It was _stupid._

"Stop pouting." Sirius sang from the seat beside him. It was alright for him, every so often he'd purposefully kick the back of James' seat, laughing whenever James would hiss at him to stop. 

"We've been over this, love." Remus called from the front where he was using a bloody wheel to steer them - like they were on a pirate ship or something! Regulus hated this bloody contraption. _It's called a car_ , Remus had happily informed them when they'd first seen the dark blue machine. "It's the only way to get there."

"Portkeys, apparition-" Regulus began counting off.

"All would draw unnecessary attention." Remus cut him off.

James snorted from the passengers seat, face pressed against the glass much like Sirius' was. "I don't know why you're complaining. This is bloody brilliant." James beamed, "Everything's moving so quickly but I'm so comfortable! Even a broom makes you ache a bit between the legs but - this? It's great!" Sirius hummed in agreeance and Regulus pouted further. "Don't like these belt things though." James groaned, tugging the strap. "Why's it so tight?"

"Just take it off. I did." Sirius shrugged.

Remus immediately jerked the car to a hasty stop along the country road they were driving on, whirling around to face Sirius with an accusing glare. "Put it back on, now." He said seriously.

Sirius blinked, eyes wide. "Why? It's just for decoration, right?"

"We're wizards, Moony. We can apparate away if we crash." Regulus rolled his eyes. "You gave us this lecture already."

"He did?" James mumbled, still tugging the belt.

Remus cut a glare towards him, "Yes. I did. You clearly weren't paying attention."

"You're surprised?" Regulus snickered.

"Darling. Watch your tongue." Remus snapped, "Else I'll punish you."

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Couldn't punish a crup." He mumbled while petulantly ignoring the heat burning inside his gut.

"Right. That's it. No holding hands for the rest of the day."

Regulus' eyes widened. "What?" He spluttered. "You can't _do_ that!"

"I can. I will. I have." Remus tutted, twisting the key in the ignition to start the car up. "James, face the front you twat."

James was still curled over his seat to stare into the back and he huffed. "Wish I could sit with the _cool_ people." He mumbled, "But no, I get stuck with the worlds grumpiest driver. Might as well be my dad."

"It takes a special patience to deal with your idiocy. Patience I do not currently have. If I were your father I'd have disowned you long ago, we should send your parents a gift basket for putting up with you for so long. I've no idea how they do it. Five minutes stuck with you and I start contemplating whether or not I believe I could get away with murder."

Regulus stared at the back of Remus' seat with wide eyes. If he didn't know him so well, he'd have thought Remus was being deadly serious. After a few tense moments of shocked silence, James huffed.

 _"Lily's_ not this mean." James groused, grumpily closing the little sun visor that Remus had opened when James began whining over the rays blinding him. As if they weren't wizards. _Honestly._ "Speaking of, she said she's surprised you have your licence to drive. We've been at Hogwarts all year." He pointed out.

Regulus snickered, "He cheated on the theory test."

"It's not as if I can't drive! The questions were bloody ridiculous."

"Hang on. Mister perfect prefect, all O's in the NEWTS... had to _cheat_ on a _test?"_ Sirius said gleefully.

"I did not _have_ to." Remus insisted, taking a careful turn around a fallen bunch of tree branches. The area was clearly not very well maintained; overgrown grass, unkempt bushes and cracked pavements were a recurring picture. "I've been studying it for ages. I would have passed regardless - I just didn't have the time to properly study for it. Not if I wanted to pass as quickly as possible. I'll re-test in a year or so, no cheating." He assured them. 

"Don't see what the rush was." Regulus mumbled.

"I wanted to have a licence because of you idiots. You'd all be useless in the muggle world without me." Remus rolled his eyes before flicking his eyes up to the rear-view mirror, meeting Regulus' gaze. "Also, that whole thing about the test was supposed to stay between us. Therefore, _Regulus,_ no more pet names."

Regulus spluttered again, cheeks flaring angrily. "You can't do that!" He repeated.

"Did you say something?" He asked, turning up the little dial on the dashboard to increase the volume of the music. Regulus glared spitefully at the back of his boyfriend's seat, kicking at the back petulantly. "Brat." Remus said curtly, otherwise completely ignoring him.

Sirius snickered, leaning over to poke his cheek. "So cute." He cooed.

"Don't." Regulus smacked at his hand.

"He's so _cute."_ James agreed in a babyish voice. "Is this what he was like throwing a tantrum as a baby?"

Sirius threw his head back against the seat and laughed. "He was always pouty. Rarely raised his voice and wasn't the type to throw himself on the floor or chuck things about. He just whined a lot and used to fake cry for attention."

"I most certainly did not!" Regulus insisted, cheeks burning. "Besides, if anyone was known for throwing tantrums it was you! You threw a rock at Bellatrix's face because she called you short. Rightfully so."

"I wasn't short!" Sirius insisted heatedly. "I was five!"

"Ickle baby Sirius." James crooned along to the beat of the pop song playing. "Ickle, teeny-weeny baby Si-wi-us."

"Shut the fuck up Potter." Sirius kicked the back of his seat harshly, making James jerk away from the rough prod. 

"See? Patience of a bloody saint." Remus shook his head in commiseration. "Can't believe I have to put up with this daily."

"You love us." Regulus sniffed, reaching forward to poke the back of his neck. He trailed his finger down the side softly, scraping his nail against the delicate skin, delighting when Remus shivered slightly. "Right, love?"

 _"Regulus."_ He said in a warning tone.

Regulus leaned forward, dissatisfied with that reaction, breathing close against the skin. "Yes, Moony?" He asked pointedly. For some reason, appealing to his wolfish side always seemed to provoke a more visceral reaction from Remus.

Remus shivered again, shifting away from him. "Merlin help me." He murmured to himself.

"I could help." Sirius piped up, a blank expression on his face. "I've been looking into castration spells. There's this very nifty little-"

James burst out into raucous laughter, slapping his hand against the dashboard. "You should look into chastity belts. Seems to me Regulus is quite the kinky little fox."

"I will make a cloak rack out of your antlers you-" Sirius began angrily.

"So?" Regulus interjected, causing a hush to fall over the occupants of the car. James whirled around with an ecstatic expression, Sirius was looking at him in horror while Remus just flicked his eyes up to the mirror, eyes burning into him when their gazes met. "What if I am? Would you be my big bad wolf?" He purred, silver eyes glinting when Remus turned his gaze away stubbornly clenching his jaw.

Sirius gagged loudly, causing James to burst out laughing again. "I love this! We should go on a- oh, what did Lils call it.. a road trip! Just us four, driving about! Maybe Moony could teach us all to drive! Share the workload."

"The day you, James Potter, get behind a steering wheel, is the day I tear up my licence and sell my car." Remus shook his head. "I wouldn't trust you to drive a bumper car. You'd be a menace to the roads and the innocent people driving on them."

"A what?" Sirius called from the back, completely ignoring the rest of his sentence. Unlike James who pouted childishly.

Remus snickered, "Something utterly brilliant. Shame they weren't at Blackpool.. I'll have to find somewhere nearby. They're brilliant. Think of cars but with big rubber things on the bottom, confined to a small area. With the added encouragement of crashing into each other on purpose."

"That sounds dangerous." Regulus raised his eyebrow.

"It sounds _brilliant."_ Sirius grinned, "You need to take us to one of those places."

"Will do." Remus hummed, "Good timing. We're here."

And with that, Regulus felt his mood plummet.

They had pulled along a gravel pathway. The area was well kept, in contrast to the main roads. It was clear the residents of the area actually took pride in their homes and the little cottage they had pulled up outside of was no exception. It was made of bricks that had been painted white, though the colour had faded in some places, making the cottage appear slightly worn.

Wooden planks made a small deck and he noted that the cottage was raised higher in the air, much like many of the other homes in the area. He remembered Remus mentioning once that in this little valley, floods were fairly common. Had been for years in fact, so the builders had adapted. Raising the foundations of the houses was obviously a good way to go as many of the homes seemed to be many years old - proof that they had withstood the test of time.

A small knocker was on the door as they approached after Remus had parked properly. No words had been shared as they carefully trotted up the worn planks that made up the steps. There was the odd splintered piece that Remus blushed at, pursing his lips as they neared the entrance. One of the little windows was bent, the frame broken with some sort of grey tape on the inside to stop the draft. 

It was seeing the broken window that jolted Regulus into remembrance.

Remus did not come from wealth _._

He had always known that, but seeing the worn out home in front of him sent a shock through him. There was a broken down car in the driveway that he was surprised still worked, but Remus had assured him it did. They had driven a small car that Alphard owned to the Lupin home, on Grandfather's insistence. He had wanted them to use magic, for safety. But Remus had pointed out that magic would draw attention, so Grandfather had called Alphard and layered his car in protection and monitoring charms.

Regulus didn't know why. He knew full well that Kreacher would be following them and he would likely hide out in a shadowy corner inside the Lupin's home until they left. What with Kreacher's protectiveness and Grandfather's paranoia, it was to be expected. 

It had not escaped his notice that the tiles on the top of the cottage were crumbling and he wondered why Remus' father hadn't just used magic. Perhaps because it would draw too much attention. All of the homes were run down in their own little way and he remembered that Remus had mentioned the area he was from was fairly low class. He hadn't seemed ashamed at all, just shrugged and mentioned that many of his neighbours were in a similar financial state to him and his family.

Regulus couldn't understand it. Risky or not, he wouldn't be able to leave his home in such a state.

Then again, Regulus had house elves catering to his every whim his whole life. He was also very well aware of the fact that he could use magic for everything. A leaky tap? No problem. Paint fading? Simple!

But.. Remus' neighbours were all muggles. They did not have that luxury. They would need to call a professional and pay a lot of money for even the simplest tasks. Regulus swallowed uncomfortably. He had always been aware that he was spoiled, privileged in fact, but this was like being slapped in the face with the realisation.

"Reg?" James murmured causing him to jump. They were all looking at him uncertainly, "You nervous?"

"No." Regulus cleared his throat, eyeing Remus uncertainly. "Are we going to stand here forever?"

Remus narrowed his eyes slightly before straightening. They were all in muggle clothes and Regulus couldn't help but admire the way Remus' clothes fit. He was in a simple white shirt and brown slacks, something Regulus had bought him. In fact, he had bought everyone's outfits when Remus had pointed out that to meet his family, they couldn't wear robes. It would draw attention from his neighbours, annoyingly.

Though, Regulus had to admit, he had quite liked going into that nice muggle shop in London. Remus had sighed when he had selected that specific place, apparently it was a costly joint. Not that he cared. Regulus wouldn't settle for something cheap.

Again, _privileged._

Sirius was wearing a blue top and black trousers with a leather jacket thrown over the top. On his insistence, of course. Regulus had _tried_ to persuade him to leave it but when Sirius had laid eyes on the thing, he had been adamant. Besides, it did actually look quite good on him. Regulus wished he could pull it off but he didn't have the right build. It dwarfed him and made him look like a child playing dress up. He'd know, he tried the thing on when Sirius wasn't looking and felt very petulant for the rest of the day.

James was wearing a deep red button-up that accented his tanned skin, his hair surprisingly well tamed and his glasses perfectly straight. Which, for James, was a rarity. He tended to skew them on purpose or leave them speckled with dust for too long, causing him to squint until someone (usually Regulus or Lily) got sick of it and cleaned them for him. His shoes were also perfectly clean, another oddity for James. Both he and Sirius liked to drag their feet and scuff their shoes, just to be annoying. Especially if they were new shoes that Regulus had bought for them.

Tugging his own royal blue shirt that matched his brother's, he huffed. His robes would have been just as nice and they were much warmer. The air wasn't exactly cold and he could see Sirius shifting uncomfortably in his jacket, but Regulus had a nutrient deficiency. He got cold far too easily and his robes were perfect for protecting him from the chilly air.

It was nearing dinnertime too, the sky beginning to fade into a soft orange glow instead of the bright blue it had been when they'd set off. Remus sent them all a final look, questioning if they were ready. They all nodded and he pulled the little knocker back, rapping it against the metal plating three times.

A few moments of silence passed before the door was flung open. 

"Cariad!" The lady on the other side of the door cheered, a bright smile on her face. A thick plait was draped over one shoulder, hair a soft tawny brown colour that was much like Remus' though had more ginger and grey tones than his. Her eyes were a jade green, the same colour as Remus' before he had been bitten and they turned to the amber hue Regulus was more familiar with. "Finally!" She cried, thin lips stretching into a softer smile as she took in her son's appearance.

Regulus was surprised by her height. She was roughly the same size as him, though nowhere near as thin. She had a healthy weight to her and she had barely any lines on her face, only a few wrinkles to indicate her older age. 

_"Mam."_ Remus breathed, accent much thicker as he leaned forward to wrap his arms around her. She hummed happily, twining her arms around his waist and squeezing tightly. "It's so good to see you."

"Would see you more if you ever came home!" She chastised as she pulled away, a stern look on her face that Regulus often saw from her son. The way James and Sirius reeled back slightly assured him that they agreed. "Always off with your friends! My own son never wants to see me!"

Remus grimaced, "Sorry, Mam." He murmured bashfully, looking down at her with innocent eyes. "I- I've just been busy. With graduation and all." He added.

Her eyes narrowed, crows feet becoming more defined as she did so. "It's that new boyfriend of yours! All loved up, eh? Too busy with him! For years I had to put up with pining and lovesick moping-"

"Mum!" Remus gasped, cheeks flushing. Regulus blinked owlishly... pining?

"-just when I think you'd stop, you get _worse!_ All the sappy parts of your letters got _worse-"_

"Mum!" Remus spluttered, hastily waving his hands. "This- Let's not-"

"Don't worry, ma'am! We've been suffering too." James grinned, extending a hand. "James Potter. It's great to finally meet you!"

Remus' mother cut herself off, turning her gaze on the other three. She peered at James first, eyes widening slightly at Sirius before she flicked her gaze towards Regulus who flushed at the attention. Her eyes brightened, recognition filling her face as she smiled at James. 

"Hope Lupin, call me Hope, dear. It's wonderful to meet you, James. My son has spoken well of you for so long!" Hope smiled, shaking James' hand. Her eyes turned next to Sirius who stepped forward with the same charming grin he always wore. She quirked her lips slightly, "You can only be Sirius Black. Remus has spoken of you too."

"Not _well_ , I notice. Just speaks of me, eh?" Sirius grinned, shaking her hand before pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles, making her giggle. 

"It's certainly never boring, according to Remus." She chuckled.

"You try putting up with Sirius Black and James Potter for years." Remus grumbled.

Hope smiled again before turning to Regulus, eyes inquisitive and startlingly eager as she took him in. Regulus stepped forward, back straight as his mother had always insisted upon when meeting new people. As much as he may not like the Lupin father for how he treated Remus, as far as he could tell Hope had been a pretty good mother considering the circumstances. Therefore, he wanted to make a good impression.

"Regulus Black, ma'am. It is a pleasure to meet you." He said, opting to give both a handshake and a kiss to her knuckles, just as Sirius had done. While his brother did it to be charming and flirtatious, Regulus did it out of courtesy and habit.

Hope hummed softly, eyes gentle as she observed him. It was interesting to meet her, actually. That sharp intelligence in her soft green eyes was alarmingly familiar and he didn't doubt that much of his boyfriend's personality had come from the woman currently scrutinising him. 

"I have to admit, it's nice to _finally_ put a face to a name." She smiled softly, gently pulling him closer so she could hug him. Regulus resisted the urge to flinch violently or spit out a nasty curse. This was a muggle. She was hugging him.. a _muggle_ was hugging him. Oh how his ancestors would be rolling in their graves.

The warmth of her embrace was much like Remus' and all doubts about her influence on him faded away. She clearly had a very large impact on Remus' personality and his mannerisms. For that alone, he already liked her.

So much so, that he carefully wrapped his arms around her, smiling slightly when she hummed in delight. "You're skin and bones, _bach!_ Get in, boys. Dinner's almost ready. Cariad, take your friends through to the sitting room." She gestured for them to enter, which they did.

Regulus' keen eyes took in the interior of the cottage. It was as homely as he expected it to be and he was glad for that. Remus had described the place to him one night when he was especially homesick and he recognised the little family photograph that Remus had told him about. It was of the three Lupins from a few years ago. Remus hadn't been old enough to get his letter yet and the slightly pained expression on his youthful face genuinely hurt Regulus to look at. He looked so defeated for someone so young. Hope was easily recognisable, her warm smile still the same as she stood on her son's side. Oddly, Lyall Lupin was not on the other side of his son. Instead, he was beside his wife, arm tightly wrapped around her with a much more serious expression as he stared into the lens of the camera.

"Through here." Remus murmured after they'd politely taken their shoes off. Regulus thought that was odd as it didn't seem like a cultural thing, more like a way to preserve the already worn floorboards and threadbare carpet. Socked feet were much gentler than thick soled shoes.

James was looking around eagerly, "It's like Lily's place!" He said, pointing at the box in the centre of the room they entered. "Her's is like that!"

"It's a television, James." Remus said tiredly. "We've been over this."

Regulus ignored the box, focusing on the man sitting in the sole armchair, reading from a newspaper. Laying the paper down, the man slowly stood as they entered the room. Clearly, Remus had inherited his father's stature. Tall with slightly broad shoulders and a heavy set to his jaw, Lyall Lupin pursed his lips as they entered. His face was similar to Remus' but much more severe. The kindness of Remus' features were clearly all from Hope, as was his smile. But the brown of Remus' hair and his thicker brows and large hands were from Lyall.

"Dad." Remus said shortly in greeting, a slightly awkward smile on his face as he nodded at him. "This is James, Sirius and Regulus." He said, gesturing to them all in turn. "You've seen James and Sirius before, at the platform. Regulus is Sirius' younger brother and.. my boyfriend." He added, slightly bashfully. There was an almost reverent tone in Remus' voice whenever he addressed Regulus as such and it never failed to make him blush.

Lyall nodded carefully, eyes focusing on Regulus inquisitively as if trying to work out a puzzle. "You're.. a Black."

Regulus blinked. That wasn't very polite. "I am." He said in response.

"And I'm a Potter!" James piped up, hands spread with an awkward smile on his face. 

Regulus closed his eyes briefly. Why were his friends such idiots? 

"Lyall!" Hope chastised, waving a tea towel around. "Be nice! This is the boy Remus has been going on about for years!"

"Years?" Lyall frowned at her confusedly.

Hope tutted as she gestured for the boys to sit on the sofa, "Yes! The ' _pretty boy with eyes like the moon_ ' remember? He told me all about him- oh, when was it? Your third year?"

"Second." Remus murmured. "When I came home for summer."

"Yes, exactly." She nodded, "Drinks, boys? I could-"

"I'll get them!" Remus jumped up, eager to leave for the kitchen and avoid the conversation. Sirius snickered while James snorted at Remus' hasty retreat.

Hope clicked her tongue, setting devious eyes on Regulus. "Oh, dear. You should have heard him! Went on and on about how pretty you were. I see he was correct." She noted, a pleased smile on her face.

Regulus' face was burning. He hadn't known that Remus told his family about him _before_ they got together. Before he could reply, Lyall made a displeased sound.

"He didn't tell me a thing." Lyall grumbled from where he was now hunched in the armchair again.

Hope waved a hand, "It's only because I asked. I recognised those lovesick sighs! And you know boys, won't say a thing unless you practically demand it of them! After seeing him stare out the window and whine like a puppy for the fifteenth time in one hour, I insisted he tell me about the girl that had caught his eye."

Remus entered then, balancing a small tray in his hands. "Wasn't sure what to get, water's pretty safe-" He said quietly before pausing at the looks everyone was giving him. Regulus raised an amused brow at his boyfriend, delighting in the way his cheeks reddened further, his whole neck flushing at the teasing smiles. 

"Remus! Tell them it's true!" Hope insisted, "Your dad thinks me a liar!"

"Not a _liar."_ Lyall said gruffly. "Just find it hard to believe you didn't think to tell me."

Remus ran a hand through his hair shyly, "Uh-"

"You really have been mooning over my little brother for years." Sirius groaned, rubbing his hands against his eyes. "Sickening."

"It's so cute!" Hope gushed. "I always hoped that they'd work out. But Remus seemed so certain it'd never work." She sighed.

"Probably because of the family thing." Sirius shrugged. "Blacks.. well. We're still considered _purebloods_ after so many centuries for a reason."

Hope tutted, "That whole blood purity thing is tosh if you ask me."

"We're inclined to agree." Regulus smiled at her.

She shrieked happily, pushing Remus away so she could sit closer to him. "Now, pet. Tell me everything! Remus is so tight lipped when it comes to matters of the heart. It was a miracle he told me anything at all!"

"Mam-" Remus said with a pained expression.

"What would you like to know?" Regulus asked with a sly glance at his boyfriend. That'd teach him to try and restrict hand holding!

She giggled happily, clapping her hands. "You're in different houses, yes? How did you become friends? You were friends first, I know that. Sent a very long letter rambling about it." Lyall frowned heavily at that, clearly he had not seen this letter. Regulus bit his lip before nodding carefully at Hope.

"I'm a Slytherin." Lyall tutted slightly and he flicked his eyes to him, "As a Gryffindor, Remus and I _should_ hate each other."

Hope shook her head, "That whole system seems ridiculous."

"It is." James admitted. Regulus refrained from gasping dramatically in response to that. James really had matured and the solemn expression on Sirius' face only furthered his respect for them both. They'd been right little bastards in the early years of Hogwarts, but now they were preparing to join the Auror Corps. Oh how things change.

"It actually all started when my brother and I reconciled. The house divide had.. soured things between us for many years. That may be part of the reason Remus did not approach me sooner." He said carefully, "Sirius and I finally talked everything out and when we had sorted things, I mentioned that I- uh, well, that-"

"That he knew about Remus' furry little secret." Sirius shook his head, "Gave me a heart attack just dropping that out of nowhere."

Hope's hand fluttered to her chest, "So... you knew?"

"I did." Regulus nodded with a smile, "And I didn't care. Sirius told Remus that I knew and he decided to come and thank me in person."

"Such a polite boy." Hope praised, giving her son a grin. "I knew I raised you right! Manners are so important!"

Remus flushed, "Mam." His voice thickened into a plea, eyes darting away from her.

"It was very sweet." Regulus agreed, "Though, it took him about five minutes to say one sentence. I thought he was nervous about the werewolf thing, but now I'm wondering if perhaps there was more to it." His eyes narrowed at his boyfriend.

"I was terrified you'd laugh in my face." Remus admitted, ears bright red. "I'd had a fancy for you for _so_ long.. I.."

"Grim." Sirius coughed under his breath.

Regulus rolled his eyes, "Please forgive my brother, he has the emotional maturity of a toddler."

Hope giggled, waving a hand. "No worries, dear."

James snickered, "To summarise, they pined for a while and were solely best friends for ages. Then one day Remus admits that he has a mate-"

"A _mate?"_ Lyall cried, "And you didn't think to tell us?"

"What's a mate again?" Hope said with a thoughtful frown. "Was that in the books?"

"It is, mum." Remus cleared his throat, ignoring his father's angry gaze. "But we didn't pay much attention to it. It's basically.. a mate is like a soulmate." He finished uncertainly.

"You.. have a soulmate?" Hope's eyes darted between Remus and Regulus before she brightened, "Oh! Oh, darling! That's beautiful." She gushed, eyes watering. Hope sniffled, producing a small handkerchief from her pocket and dabbing at her eyes. 

"Mum-" Remus' tone turned panicky, "Don't cry!"

"We're very happy together." Regulus assured her, "Although I was in tears when I confessed to Remus, but it's been smooth sailing ever since. Hasn't given me a reason to doubt my decision yet."

Remus huffed offendedly, "Yet."

"Yet." Regulus nodded with a cheeky smile. "Never know what the future may bring."

Hope sniffled again, "So sweet. Such darling boys."

"Yes, yes." Lyall interjected, "Now, why did you not tell us about this sooner?"

Remus frowned. "I didn't think I had to."

"You should have! We would have helped prepare him!" Lyall snapped, "Did he know what he was getting into before you got together?"

Regulus felt his face take on the same blank appearance it always did the moment he felt like scowling at someone that had just upset him. Years of conditioning had made that an automatic response and the quick shifting beside him from Sirius and James made him internally cackle. Purebloods were all the same, regardless of political inclination.

Remus blinked, "He knew I was a werewolf before we even became friends." Remus reminded his father plainly.

"You're being rude, Lyall." Hope hissed before turning to the boys with a smile. "Let's go through to the dining table. I'm sorry, it's not very big. We'll be a bit squashed.." She bit her lip, patting at her thighs before she stood.

"It's not bother, ma'am." Sirius smiled at her.

"Hope!" She insisted, "I'm no old maid yet! Call me Hope, dear. Else I'll have you outside weeding my garden - no magic allowed!"

"Of course, Hope. A beautiful name for such an enchanting lady." Sirius winked, bowing to her.

Hope giggled, waving the tea towel in her hand at him. "Such a charmer!"

"He's like that with everyone." James snickered, "Dog that needs collaring, as you can see."

Lyall scowled heavily, "Is that a joke?" He said pointedly looking at Remus.

"No." James raised his eyebrows, "Why would it be?" Regulus felt his mood sour further at Lyall's clear discomfort but tried to pay it no mind. He didn't want to ruin what was supposed to be a pleasant occasion.

They entered the kitchen and Regulus winced at the size of the place. It was so much smaller than he had expected. The dining table was, as Hope had said, pressed tightly against the wall. It had been pulled away slightly to accommodate the extra chairs but Regulus could see it would be a tight fit. The wood of the table was worn and many of the chairs wobbled on uneven legs as they sat down.

Regulus wished he could use his wand to right them, but it wasn't his place and it would be an extreme breach of propriety for him to do so - even if he didn't think the Lupins were big on old fashioned etiquette. Nobody liked having someone they had only just met enter their home to then start making changes. They were sat around the table evenly. Hope and Lyall took up either end with Remus and Regulus on one side with James opposite Remus and Sirius opposite Regulus. Remus' cheeks were slightly flushed from embarrassment and Regulus reached his hand out to squeeze his knee reassuringly. 

Hope began chattering as she dished up their dinner. She spoke quickly about how Welsh Cawl was a traditional meal and that she had taken the time to go out to ' _the good butchers_ ' and had slow cooked the meal, starting the night before apparently. This was, according to her, the best way to ensure all the flavours were properly infused and that the meat would be tender and rich.

"I used the neck joint - it's best for this type of stew." She nodded as she set the bowls down. They'd tried to help her but Hope had _insisted_ on doing it herself, as was tradition apparently. "This is homemade-" She gestured to the little basket of bread chunks, "As for the broth, it's made primarily of leeks, suede, stock and of course the potatoes!" 

Remus hummed happily as she set the wooden bowl in front of him. Regulus had wondered why they were using wooden cutlery but apparently it was another one of those traditional things that he did not understand - something about flavours that Regulus had forgotten as soon as it was said to him. "Cheese?" Remus asked.

Hope sent him a look, "Do I look like a maid?" She raised a brow pointedly.

Remus flushed, "You said not to bother." He mumbled.

"The guests! You are no guest, Remus Lupin!" Hope gestured to the counter where a large block of cheese was sitting on a wooden platter. "Do your friends like cheese?"

Remus nodded, getting to his feet. He quickly cut some chunks of cheese from the block, laying them on a little side plate and setting it on the centre of the table. 

As they began to eat, Regulus was surprised by the flavour of the broth. It was very rich, much richer than he had anticipated. Hearty was probably a good way to explain it. Opposite him, Sirius widened his eyes as he swallowed another spoonful with a thick chunk of bread. He flicked his eyes to meet Regulus', raising his eyebrow with a little quirk to his lips.

James was happily tucking in, as was Remus. Neither of the Lupin parents seemed surprised either so it must just be a Black thing. Regulus liked food and he enjoyed things with a lot of flavour, but for years he had been deprived of the basic three meals a day. Because of that, his taste buds were rather weak - for years he hadn't been able to stomach anything too rich and even chocolate would make him sick. Chicken prepared with any seasonings had taken _months_ of careful consumption at Hogwarts to stop him from immediately throwing it all up.

Even now he struggled sometimes. He didn't think this would make him unwell, he was healthier now. But, _still._ He hadn't expected such a plain looking meal made primarily of vegetables to have so much flavour.

"So," Hope began after finishing a spoonful of broth. "You have all been friends with my Remus for a while now, yes?"

"Since first year." Sirius nodded with a smile, "Met James on the train and Moony just before the sorting."

"Moony?" Lyall frowned.

Remus snorted, "My nickname."

"Isn't that a little on the nose?" His father frowned at him.

"His actual name is a great way to explain it." James snickered. "Honestly, talk about irony."

Hope made a little grimace, "Ah, hm. That always has been a strange coincidence. But I enjoy the classical names so much. I wish I'd have had twins to really complete the set." She winked.

"Setting me up for fratricide, Mam?" Remus queried.

She laughed happily, taking a sip of her drink. "I've missed you so much, cariad! You don't visit anywhere near as often as you should! I miss you all year just for you to never come home!"

Remus smiled sadly at her, reaching over to pat her on the hand. "I'm sorry, Mam. I'll be over more now that I've graduated."

"You'd better!" She threatened lightly, taking a lump of cheese and putting it on a small chunk of bread. "I need to thank you boys for taking such good care of my son." Hope said seriously, eyes slightly glazed as she bit her lip in thought.

"What? No-" James began, "We're friends for a reason, ma'am."

"And it's no trouble." Regulus added gently, "We all love Remus very much. His.. affliction.. does not change who he is."

Lyall shifted uncomfortably, "Still. It isn't easy putting up with-"

 _"Lyall."_ Hope hissed. 

"Well taking care of a werewolf isn't easy! I'm just saying-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Regulus interrupted quickly, eyes flickering disdainfully towards the man. "Remus is an absolute treasure. I can't say I know what it would have been like to raise him and support him by yourselves - but Remus is _more_ than just his affliction. And he isn't worth any less because of it."

Lyall scowled, "I know that. He's my son-"

"Yet you act like he's naught more than a burden to you." Regulus snapped. 

"Isn't he?" Lyall frowned, "I love Remus. I love my son. But he wasn't an easy child to care for." 

Hope tutted, "Don't say that. Remus was a darling."

"Was he? When he was snapping at us for no reason? Trying to bite you?" 

Hope scoffed, "That was one time and he was barely conscious!"

Remus was shocked out of his frozen stupor that his father's callous words had forced him into. "Wait what?"

Hope bit her lip at Remus' confused tone. "I- Love, it really was just the once. You were, oh, five? Maybe younger. It was one of your earliest transformations and I was stupid. I'd gotten worried - I came to get you too early. Your father said I should wait until the moon was _completely_ gone - he always said to wait for the sunrise - but the moment I could hear your crying..." Her eyes were shining and she gnawed on her lip.

"He would have still been affected." James murmured, speaking from experience that Regulus could relate to.

"I know." Hope sniffled, picking up a handkerchief to dab at her eyes. "But he was my baby! What was I supposed to do? Every moon was awful - sitting here and listening to him cry."

"That's why I tried to convince you to leave for the night. It would have been safer too." Lyall grumbled.

"And I told you, _Lyall,_ there wasn't a chance in hell I'd leave my baby to suffer!" She snapped. "So, yes, I was reckless. Remus, oh darling you were so little. So confused and so scared. You went to bite at my hand - it's a good thing you were human at the time. Nowhere near as quick as you would have been." She murmured to herself, fiddling with her spoon.

Regulus smiled sadly at her, "That's completely understandable. I know how awful it can be when he has a particularly rough transformation."

"It's h-horrible." She sniffled again, "My little boy..." She whimpered, "All I wanted was a good life for him. For my baby. I-"

"Mam." Remus whispered, leaning closer to lay his hand atop of his mother's, "I'm okay. My transformations have gotten a lot better. I told you that, yeah?"

She nodded sadly. "Yes. I know. But-"

"It's because of Regulus." Remus added, a slight flush to his ears as he said that. "He- Well, as I said, he's my mate. There's a.. bond of sorts. I have a pack bond with the boys too."

Lyall blinked, "How is that possible?"

"It just is. Remus - Moony - sees us as family." Sirius insisted. "Maybe it's also because Regulus sees us as family too. Either way, we're a pack."

"Impossible. Shouldn't be possible." Lyall muttered, staring down at his bowl.

"Well it is." Remus huffed, "I think I'd know. I've known Regulus was my mate from the moment I laid eyes on him."

"Oh what was that like, darling?" Hope's eyes lit up, "Was it magical?"

Regulus laughed as he finished another mouthful of potatoes. "I thought he was mad."

Remus coughed to hide his embarrassment. "I- I may have just stood there and gaped at him for a while."

"Remus!" Hope scolded with a smile pulling at her lips. "You silly boy! Ridiculous - men! You're all the same! Couldn't emote to save your lives! Didn't you think to talk to him?"

"I-" Remus blushed, "Of course I did." He mumbled abashedly. Regulus peered at his boyfriend, wondering just how often he had appeared in Remus' thoughts all those years they'd never even spoken to each other.

James snickered, "You're right about us being rubbish at feelings. Took me years to get the girl of my dreams."

"Lily, yes?" Hope smiled, "You should have invited her, dear! The more the merrier!" She insisted after James nodded. Regulus wasn't surprised that Hope knew who she was. He doubted James had gone a single summer without writing sonnets about her in his letters to his friends and clearly Remus shared a lot more with his mother than Regulus had anticipated. 

"Are we invited again? 'Cause this is one of the best meals I've had in a long time." Sirius said plainly. Regulus wanted to hit him for being so impolite. Didn't he remember all of those lessons on not overstaying your welcome and being courteous to your host?

Then again... Regulus had just sat and pretty much insulted Lyall Lupin - who was technically the head of this household. Oh well, screw the rules. Sometimes it was necessary to break protocol. He wouldn't just sit idly by while his boyfriend was insulted by his own father. Regulus had spent too long sitting back and biting his tongue while Sirius was critiqued by their whole family. He was stronger now. He had faced his biggest demons and _won._

"Of course!" Hope gushed. "You boys are always welcome here! I meant it - thank you all for being such good friends to my Remus. I always hoped.. for so long I thought he would be alone with only us for company. When he came home after first year talking non-stop about you boys.. oh-" She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I just always wanted the best for my cariad."

"Next time." James promised. "No need to thank us, really. Moony's the one that deserves the praise - he puts up with us more than anything."

Remus rolled his eyes, "You can say that again."

"Thank you sincerely for putting up with these idiots." Regulus nodded solemnly, "Else I may never have ended up with you."

"You say that like it's against your will." Remus grumbled, a shy smile on his face. "Not already sick of me, are you love?"

"Thought you weren't doing pet names." Regulus pointed out. "Aren't I still on probation?"

"Oh?" Hope teased, "Trouble in paradise?"

Sirius snorted, "More like Reggie is a little brat." He mumbled with stuffed cheeks.

Regulus kicked him swiftly under the table. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Ah-" Sirius hissed, quickly swallowing his food, "Brat."

Regulus sighed. "I'm terribly sorry. We're being awfully impolite-"

"None of that!" Hope waved her spoon around. "We're not the posh types, dear. You can do as you wish. Act human - that's all I ask for!"

Remus grinned. "Might be a little harder for some than others."

Lyall shifted uncomfortably at that, eyes darting around as if expecting some sort of insult. Regulus sighed internally. He didn't doubt that Lyall really _did_ love Remus, he clearly cared about him. But his own prejudices and poor feelings towards creatures were causing their relationship to be strained. The way Remus was with Fleamont was much kinder and warmer - something Regulus could relate to.

Bloody hell, besides James, they all had a difficult relationship with at least one family member. It was sweet that James always opened up his home to them. One time, he and Euphemia had been cooking - out of boredom as the boys were unable to fly at the time - and he had mentioned that James was practically collecting strays at this point. Euphemia had laughed, insisting that she loved all of the boys as if they were her own and that she knew James saw them all as his brothers. To her, that made them family.

Regulus had cried that night when he was alone in his room. Sirius had wondered why his eyes were puffy the next day and had insisted on him taking a nap when Regulus brushed it off as getting a poor nights sleep.

Hope seemed slightly confused by Remus' statement, but James' quick thinking to begin gushing over her muggle appliances (likening them to the ones he saw in the Evans household) thoroughly distracted her. She had an amused smile on her face as she carefully explained how the kettle worked and that, _no, you couldn't just use the oven to heat up water - not unless you used the hob_.

To Regulus, the conversation didn't seem that interesting. He already knew how ovens worked so obviously you couldn't just _cook_ water - it made no sense. But then he remembered that James was a hazard in the kitchen and that Sirius was useless at cooking. Therefore, they were thoroughly intrigued and had no prior knowledge.

Remus seemed bemused. "I didn't realise they were so uneducated." He murmured quietly as James began asking about the telephone on the wall.

"They like to pretend like they know a lot, but they really don't."

"Neither do you." Remus snickered.

Regulus sniffed primly, "At least I don't pretend like I know what I'm talking about." He raised his chin, "And I've certainly never needed to cheat on a test."

Remus scowled. "That was _one_ time-"

"Cheated?" Hope piped up, head whipping to her son. "You cheated on a test?" Her voice was clipped, eyes narrowing as she observed him for any tells.

"No." Remus huffed, cheeks pink. Regulus was surprised at how quick he was to lie to his mother as they seemed to have a good relationship. Then again, Remus was an oddly good liar and it's not like telling her the truth would end well. "Regulus liked to say I cheated by asking the teachers for help."

Regulus sniffed, "Just be smart enough to know it all yourself." He said primly to help the other man out. Wasn't Regulus the perfect boyfriend?

"Says the little swot." Sirius snorted.

Hope hummed, clearly she did not quite believe Remus but was happy to let it go. "You're graduated now, haven't you? What will you be doing?" She asked the table at large.

"Well, Reggie's still got another year left, but Sirius and I are joining the Aurors." James said proudly.

Lyall's eyebrows shot up, "The Aurors? _Both_ of you?" When they nodded, he leaned back slightly appraisingly. "That's a very difficult programme. It's rare to even be considered.. you've both been accepted?"

"Moony could have too." Sirius shrugged. "We're excited to join though. Finally fight back, you know?"

Hope's mouth pursed, "Those attacks.. it's awful. They'll stop them soon, surely?"

"In time, dear." Lyall said evasively. Regulus wasn't surprised that Hope didn't seem to know _just_ how bad it was out there. Lyall likely kept it hidden from her for her own protection. She probably knew the bare bones of it, but there was no way she knew the full grisly details. He doubted she would let Remus leave the house if she knew, Hope was clearly much more attentive than Regulus had first expected.

"I'll be doing an apprenticeship with Cassiopeia Black." Remus admitted, cheeks red at the sudden attention. "I'll be getting my mastery that way. I-" He puffed his cheeks out slightly, "I'm hoping that, in the future, I'll be able to teach."

"You'll be an excellent teacher, love." Regulus nodded proudly. "You've got the perfect temperament."

"A teacher? Oh darling, that's wonderful!" Hope gushed happily, "Who is Cassiopeia? Is she a relative of yours?" She asked, darting her eyes from Regulus to Sirius.

Sirius nodded, "She's our maternal Great Aunt."

"Cassiopeia Black?" Lyall asked with wide eyes, "She's.. I've heard a lot about her." He said stiffly, eyes flicking to Hope uneasily.

Sirius grinned, "Oh, you can say it. She's mad as a hatter. But she knows her stuff."

"She'll be a great teacher." Remus nodded. "We've been communing through owls, she's quite intense but I think it'll be a good experience. Plus, the Black name and good reputation certainly doesn't hurt." He winked.

"Aha! I have seen your wicked ways." Regulus cheered triumphantly, "Trying to use me for my family fortune, eh?"

"Alas. I have been foiled!" Remus griped dramatically.

James huffed, "And you say we're the dramatic ones."

"You are." The two boyfriends said at the exact same time.

Hope eagerly jumped to her feet when a little chime sounded through the room. Hope waved the three pureblood teens away, insisting it was no threat and was simply an alarm she had set to ensure her dessert did not burn.

"Pwdin Eva!" Remus beamed as she brought over a large dish with a steaming dessert inside, "My favourite." Remus licked his lips happily.

"Of course." Hope set the dish down and took off her oven mitts, placing them on the counter before seating herself. Remus had already began explaining that Pwdin Eva or Eve's Pudding was fairly basic but a classic and as Remus had said, a favourite of his. It was also fairly cheap due to the simple ingredients and could be kept frozen for a long time which was good for a family on a budget. Stewed apples topped with a thick batter with sugar dusted on top, it certainly _sounded_ simple enough. They made quick work of dishing out each other's portions and Regulus curiously took a small bite.

The filling was tangy and rich and Regulus let out a pleased hum as he scooped another bite into his mouth. It was delicious. Hope was certainly a brilliant chef and he commended her on her talents, smiling when she gave a bashful smile, waving the tables compliments away with a satisfied grin that he could respect. James and Sirius had their portion with a small dollop of custard but Remus had insisted it wasn't necessary and Regulus was inclined to agree. He quite liked it the way it was.

Hope began asking Regulus about his schooling - questioning what it would be like for him in his final year and if he had any worries or anything he was looking forward to. It prompted a long discussion about being Head Boy and Quidditch Captain and what those duties meant as Hope wasn't in the know the way Lyall was. It was also a brilliant distraction from the agonising truth that Regulus wouldn't be able to see his family for months at a time - something that had started to plague his mind so often that he was often kept awake at night from the depressing thoughts.

So Regulus was quite happy to inform her of the Quidditch Captaincy and as the day wore on, Regulus found himself liking his boyfriend's mother more and more. Hope was lively and unbelievably kind. She was like a less refined and slightly less intense Euphemia Potter - not that he didn't like the Potter matriarch, he was simply surprised by Hope's character and how much he enjoyed her company. He had thought her to be more like Lyall, too afraid and ignorant of her son and his struggles, but clearly she was quite the opposite.

It hurt Regulus honestly. Hope's earlier story about hearing her little boy crying out for her and being unable to help had broken his heart and he wondered how many nights Hope had spent anxiously awaiting the sunrise so that she could tend to her child. Regulus could certainly empathise - he too had risked his life for Remus during a full moon and he couldn't say that he regretted it. Being helpless to aide Remus was awful and Regulus did not envy all of the years Hope would have been alone and completely powerless to help due to her status as a muggle. At least Regulus could turn into a fox and be there for Remus - regardless of the fact that they were mates.

As the evening continued, they drifted from topic to topic and eventually moved the conversation into the living room after dinner was over. Regulus had been disappointed but not altogether surprised when Lyall had retired early, giving Remus a contemplating look that had sent hope through Regulus' heart. With any luck, seeing Remus in a normal setting acting like the normal teenaged boy that he was would prompt Lyall into re-evaluating his actions and how he treated his son.

From Regulus' own experience he knew it was awful to lose a loved one and a part of him would always ache over Orion and Walburga and even Bellatrix. If Remus and Lyall could at least get to a place of mutual understanding, things would be better. He knew Hope must feel the same and the disheartened look on her face when Lyall left early had upset Regulus - and he'd only just met the woman! He couldn't imagine how Remus felt, the empath that he was.

Regulus tried not to let it bother him. For now, he would just enjoy the evening and have fun with his boyfriend, his brothers and his possible future mother-in-law. It was so rare that they got to enjoy the good times, and Regulus was going to revel in it for as long as he could.

_ **[MEANWHILE]** _

"My Lord." The woman breathed reverently, thick hair draping over her face as she dropped to her knees to kiss at the hem of the robes in front of her. She whispered to herself, mumbling worshipful praises as she kissed at the ground his feet were on. Carefully, she raised her head slowly. Not enough to meet his eye, but enough to prove her identity and devotion to him and his cause.

"Rise, my dearest Bella." Voldemort's sibilant hiss made her toes curl, a heat pooling in her abdomen as he addressed her. "We are alone. You may kneel."

Bellatrix exhaled again, shifting so she was no longer prostrated before him and level with the ground. Instead, she was now on her knees, head tilting up to meet her Lord's eye. "Master.. _my Lord-"_

"You have news, yes?" He hummed, a gnarled hand reaching down to pet her head. Bellatrix shivered. If he were anyone else, she would have been livid at being treated like an animal. But this was her _Lord._ He was above her - she was simply a pet in his presence. That was okay. She understood that he was on a level above human. In his eyes, all of them were naught but pitiful creatures to be tamed or exterminated.

And Bellatrix had happily allowed herself to be tamed. The mark on her arm was a point of pride for her and she took extra care not to ever damage the mark. It was a wonder of magic unlike no other, she knew. One of the lackeys, a pitiful half-blood, had tried to cut his mark off and her Lord had been alerted. She did not question how. He was her Lord for a reason. She had only sat by with glee in her eyes as her Lord punished the betrayer.

"I do, my Lord." Bellatrix agreed eagerly. "I have heard news from the House of Black."

"Black?" Voldemort murmured, "I care little for traitorous thieves."

"Th-Thieves, my Lord?" Bellatrix questioned uncertainly. Sometimes, if he were feeling kind, he would share information with her. Only her, however. She was his most loyal, his most _faithful._ He recognised that. Her Lord had no reason to question Bellatrix's loyalty. She had even given up her status as a Black for him. Something that, _occasionally,_ she would remember with regret before hurriedly berating herself for thinking such treacherous thoughts.

Regret that she had lost her birth magics, regret that she had lost all of her worth as a Black..

Regret that she had lost her sisters.

 _Sister._ That traitor had stopped being her sister when she ran away with the mudblood. But.. Narcissa.. Cissa...

Sweet, gentle and kind, Bella had always adored Narcissa. She had been _thrilled_ to have a younger sister in Andromeda and at first she hadn't seen the point in having _another._ But then little Cissa had been born. Fair blonde hair, skin as white as a dove and eyes the clearest of blue - Narcissa had been an oddity within their family. She lacked all of the dark beauty the Blacks were famous for, inheriting all of her mother's Rosier softness. A little _too_ much, according to many. Narcissa's status as a true Black had been questioned by many and Bella hadn't hesitated to remove the head off of Nott's owl when he had called her a bastard in the common room one night. Bella had left the decapitated animal on his bed as a punishment. _Nobody_ insulted her baby sister.

It was very rare the Bellatrix felt regret over leaving the House of Black. Seeing Sirius, the filthy blood-traitor, as Heir had cemented her decision. She would not stay in a House that was lead by _him._

She may have loved him once. Sometimes, she wondered if perhaps she still did. But not anymore. No, he needed to _pay._ So did that little traitor Regulus, he was far too loyal to Sirius for her to be able to properly retrain him, and even Andromeda must pay - news had come out that she had a child. A half-breed spawn from that mudblood scum she had dared to marry.

_Oh, Meda, why did you leave? Why couldn't you have just stayed? We could be sisters again. I would forgive you if you repented-_

No. Bellatrix stopped herself there. This was not the time to get sentimental.

"They stole your cousin, yes?" Voldemort tutted, "Young Regulus had such promise.. alas. He is lost to us now."

"They have manipulated him, I am certain! He was most eager to join."

"Yes." Voldemort hummed, patting the top of her head once before digging his nails in slightly. Bellatrix refrained from flinching, leaning into the touch instead. "You said you had news?"

"Certainly, my Lord." She breathed, feeling his claws dig into her scalp. "Walburga Black is dead."

Voldemort scoffed, "I do not see why that should interest me."

"She had a plan, my Lord. She was convinced that Lord Black was up to something. She had a- a fool proof way of assuring Regulus' loyalty."

Voldemort tilted his head curiously, "Is that so?"

"Walburga was convinced that Lord Black had a way of- of defeating you, my Lord." She mumbled, "A complete lie, utterly preposterous I know, but-"

"Defeating me?" He repeated, eyes glinting in amusement. "I am immortal, my dear Bella."

Her breath hitched, "Of course, my Lord." She knew that, she _did._ He was her Lord. He was Lord Voldemort. Nobody, not even the Lord of the House of Black, could destroy him. He was like a God, like Zeus or Poseidon from the old myths. Perhaps Hades was more fitting. Misunderstood and powerful as he was, she thought it a beautiful comparison. She did not doubt her Lord's claim of immortality for a second. Bellatrix knew he would never lie to her.

"Continue." Voldemort said uncaringly.

"S-She believed-" Curse Walburga for dying. It had been a split second decision from Bella, but she had _needed_ to be certain. She had Walburga tell her as much as she could, leaving a simple monitoring charm on her in case she perished. When Bellatrix had been informed of the witch's demise, she had hurried to request a meeting with her Lord. "Walburga believed that Lord Black new something. That Regulus had.. he was the one to inform Lord Black of-" She cut herself off, redness rising on her cheeks.

"Of those lies the Daily Prophet has been spreading?" Voldemort finished for her.

"Y-Yes my Lord." She tried to nod hastily as his nails scratched harshly against her scalp. "Walburga believed it had something to do with the mission from last year."

The hand in her hair paused before digging in harshly, "Explain." He demanded.

"W-Well when Kreacher returned-"

"Returned?" Voldemort boomed, voice bouncing off of the ballroom walls. "The elf lived?"

Bellatrix whimpered as he dragged her closer by the roots of her hair, "H-He did, my Lord. R-Regulus has been strange ever s-since-"

"Out!" Voldemort threw her to the ground, "To Gringotts, now! You will check on the item I had you store. Do not contact me until you have done so." He snapped, rising quickly.

"M-My Lord-" She began, lip trembling as she climbed to her feet. He ignored her. Storming past her with a livid fury she rarely saw, red eyes burning, simmering like the fiery pits of Tartarus as he left the room. Bellatrix was frozen in place before she felt a flash of heat come from her mark, hearing her husband let out a scream upstairs and her brother-in-law let out an identical shout from the parlour. Whatever she had said, it had set him off.

Her Lord was more furious than she had ever seen him, judging by the pain in her arm. Bellatrix suddenly remembered the order she had been given and scrambled to do as he had demanded. In pain or not, her Lord had just given her a mission. A task given directly from her Lord with an emphasis on getting it done quickly and efficiently.

Although, Bellatrix couldn't help but wonder. It was so _very_ unlike her Lord to get this upset. Yes, he had become much more upfront in his violence lately. But it was necessary! After certain families had abandoned the cause due to the filth the Prophet spewed, he had needed to ensure that the rest of their supporters did not flee like the cowards they clearly were. They were a revolution - a resistance to the Light and the parasites spawned from muggles. Of course a little violence was necessary! They simply did not see the bigger picture.

However, it was unlike her Lord to be this angry. This incoherent with rage and.. if she dared to name it.. _fear._ She had never seen her Lord so wild and unkempt, a wariness in his gaze that he forced behind a wall of incensed, riotous fury. She had to wonder what she had said to provoke such an intense emotion in her Lord.

 _No,_ it was not her place. Bellatrix had no right to question her Lord, she would simply comply with his wishes as she always did. He had given her a task, after all.

Which she would happily complete for him, even if she had to slay every Goblin in Gringotts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the Welsh terms: Cariad means love/darling and Bach means little/little one. Mam is Mum/Mother and although Tad is Dad, I chose not to use the Welsh terms for Lyall as he and Remus aren't all that close. Him calling his dad by 'Dad' is like why Sirius and Regulus call their dad, 'Father'.
> 
> Well, this is overdue! I hope you all enjoyed this very muchly. I've been very distracted lately and this essay for uni is destroying me but..! Hope you had fun reading! Did you like Hope and Lyall? 
> 
> Oh! Did you like seeing Bellatrix's POV? I thought it'd be fun to see a little into her mind. Voldemort, however, ooo!! Things are happening!


	40. The Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius and Regulus are summoned by Lord Black and the whole family get together to discuss what to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for mentions of suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety and murder. Again, super lightly mentioned it's like one or two sentences but I thought I'd give you all a heads up!

Sirius wasn't sure why he was urgently called to Grandfather's office that morning, but he knew it couldn't be for anything good.

Mentally, he tried to recount any possible misdeeds that could have warranted being summoned so early in the morning, but he came up empty. As far as he was aware, he hadn't done anything. For once, Sirius had been on his best behaviour, more so than usual as therapy was going pretty well.

Regulus said he shouldn't call it _therapy_ as it sounded to crass in his opinion. But, that's what it was. And, Sirius could now admit, it was already doing him a world of good. He'd begun using special breathing techniques and was in the process of adapting his way of thinking as his current methods of coping were clearly not healthy. His mind healer had also offered for Sirius to take up some kind of activity as a way of managing his anger - apparently he had a bit of a problem with that.

Honestly, Sirius was surprised it had taken the amount of sessions it had for the man to realise that. Most people seemed to just sense that about him pretty shortly after meeting him. Sirius himself had known he had a bit of an explosive temper for years and it wasn't until he casually mentioned almost murdering Snape as a teenager in response to the query _"something negative you have done which you now regret"_ that the healer began to address his temper. Apparently, that was not a normal reaction to the mild provocation of Snape.

Sirius had wanted to insist that in context and with full knowledge of the situation, his anger was _justified_. The healer had countered that, yes, anger was okay, but there was a difference between getting upset and committing attempted murder by means of feeding someone to a werewolf.

Okay, _perhaps_ Sirius saw his point there.

Either way, Sirius was confused as to why he was being summoned. He wasn't sure if Regulus had been either as the boy had gone to bed early after their most recent session. The sessions always seemed to take a lot more out of Regulus than Sirius and he had been happy to give his brother space, especially as they'd finally begun to address the boy's abandonment issues.

If he was honest, Sirius hadn't quite expected Regulus to _have_ abandonment issues and separation anxiety, but apparently he did. Sirius did too to a degree, but for Regulus it was much more self-destructive. Where Sirius would get angry and shut everyone out, Regulus would withdraw in on himself and become too anxious to function or he became so depressed that he turned suicidal.

It had broken Sirius' heart to hear Regulus tearfully explaining how ready he had been to die, how sick and tired he was of getting up everyday and having to pretend for other people's sake that he was okay. That Sirius leaving him had almost destroyed him and one night he had been ready to end it all and only Kreacher's quick thinking had saved him.

When Regulus had whispered that, no - he did _not_ mean the time in the cave - Sirius had too broken down.

It had ended in the session being drawn out a little longer while the mind healer insisted this was good progress. Honesty was important and they apparently needed to rebuild their trust in each other. 

Again, Sirius had been surprised at that. He hadn't known there was a breach in trust between them and he had insisted that he trusted Regulus with his life. Immediately, the mind healer had asked, _"But do you trust him with his own?"_ and Sirius had been stumped. Because, no, he did not. A part of him was expecting, even now as much as he was loathe to admit it, to find Regulus missing or dead due to some suicide mission he had embarked on. As for Regulus, he did not trust Sirius completely that he was there to stay. A part of him was terrified whenever Sirius left, even if it was just to visit James, as he was sure that he would never come back.

Just as Sirius had almost done last summer.

Sirius shook his head to clear his mind. He couldn't focus on that now. Last night had been exhausting and although he had wanted to cuddle Regulus' worries away, he knew the space was needed. They couldn't keep relying on each other - they couldn't keep clinging to each other.

To be frank, he doubted they'd ever reach the level of separation that was considered _normal_ and he was certain the healer knew that. They were too far gone, too entrenched in their unhealthy obsession with each other and Sirius would never be comfortable fully letting Regulus go. But, perhaps, they could be better at functioning as separate units. Still joined, but separated slightly.

"Sirius." Regulus' voice was hoarse, eyes slightly puffy as he peered up at him. "Did Grandfather send for you as well?"

Blinking, Sirius looked down at his younger brother. He looked very cute - sleep rumpled and pouty. So much so that Sirius grinned and ruffled his hair, making the younger huff. "Yeah, you too?"

"Hm." Regulus huffed again, cheeks puffing adorably. "I was sleeping. Kreacher had to drag me out of bed."

"I don't believe that for a second." Sirius snorted as they continued on down the hallway. "That elf loves you."

"Doesn't stop him from acting like my mother." Regulus grumbled.

Sirius snickered. Ever since Walburga Black.. _died,_ Kreacher had decided he was now Regulus' mother. It was both hilarious and absolutely terrifying.

They rounded the corner to the hallway with Lord Black's office and both paused. The portraits on the walls outside were muttering anxiously, pacing in and out of their frames as they gossiped. Sirius shared a look with his brother. Whatever was happening, it was big.

Unfortunately, James and Remus were off at their own homes as they had been for the past few days. James was also spending a lot of time with Lily before he began his Auror training as Lily would be equally busy on her healing apprenticeship. Sirius hadn't been surprised by the career path she chose - she was a fearsome witch and certainly had the caring nature associated with healers. As well as the pushy stubbornness.

"Boys." Grandfather said as they entered. "Sit. We have much to discuss."

Sirius refrained from showing his surprise on his face and did as he was told. It was rare for Grandfather to become so serious, to the point where he wouldn't even greet them properly. Truly, whatever was happening, it was big. 

"Grandfather." Sirius inclined his head, bowing before Lord Black. Regulus mirrored his greeting, calling out a soft good morning as well. "You wished to speak with us." Sirius did not phrase this as a question. The elf that had woken him had been adamant that he get up as soon as possible, _no dallying or Hoppy shall strike little Master with a spoon_. 

"I did." Arcturus' face was completely serious, his frown lines much more pronounced and his tone was bleak. Sirius suppressed the urge to shudder, an angry Lord Black was a ferocious sight to behold. "We have a problem. A very big problem." Grandfather said plainly.

"A problem?" Regulus repeated, "Could you elaborate?"

"Well of course I am going to elaborate you foolish boy." Arcturus snapped. Sirius felt his brows draw together, the urge to snap back at the man for insulting Regulus was difficult to ignore but Sirius settled for simply grasping Regulus' hand. His brother tensed at the man's words but otherwise did not react. There were very few reasons Lord Black would ever become this upset.

"Then please do." Sirius said simply.

Arcturus pursed his lips, eyes slightly glazed over. "For the past few weeks, I have been paying close attention to the map you made, Regulus. As I was doing so, I noticed the rapid movements of the only soul container left."

"So Voldemort's running about?" Sirius surmised, "What's so damning about that?"

"My concern is the _places_ he was visiting." Arcturus responded pointedly.

Regulus stiffened, "The Horcruxes?"

"Yes." The man sighed, shoulders slumping. "He was out by the coast first, I presume that is where the locket was. Then he visited the location of the ring. I would imagine he wished to visit Hogwarts too as he began to move North before he suddenly appeared in London."

"London..." Sirius murmured. "The Goblins?"

"Just now, I received an urgent missive from the Ministry." Arcturus gestured to the open letter on his desk. "Bellatrix Lestrange is now a known criminal. She is equal with Voldemort in the eyes of the Ministry. Her capture is now a top priority for the Aurors and I do not doubt that upon her capture, she will be Kissed immediately."

Regulus' jaw was ajar, "What? Why? What did she-" Regulus blinked, "The Horcrux.. she realised it was missing."

"Fuck." Sirius hissed, "How many?" He asked Grandfather plainly.

"Too many." Grandfather swallowed. "Almost started a rebellion from the Goblins. She slaughtered a whole cluster of the creatures right in broad daylight."

Regulus clenched his jaw, "Are we in trouble?"

"No. The Goblins are not stupid. They would become an enemy to all if their misdeeds were let out." Grandfather shook his head, "Bellatrix is unhinged. I suspect the Ministry will simply pass her off as a fanatical follower of Voldemort and not bother to look into it. According to eyewitness accounts, she was screaming incoherently and throwing curses as if possessed." Grandfather shook his head, the mournful edge to his words unmissable. No matter what, for a time, she had been family. To see her so completely gone was upsetting, but unsurprising.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, exhaling noisily. "Shit. So Voldemort knows."

"The cave." Regulus murmured, a hand going to his chest. "He knows I stole the locket."

Sirius swallowed thickly. Regulus would now be Voldemort's worst enemy, even above Dumbledore. He would wish for his head on a pike and likely would not rest until Regulus was dead. Sirius felt a cold shiver snake down his spine at the thought. Now more than ever, Regulus was in unimaginable danger.

"You can't leave the house." Sirius began, "You'll need to stay with one of us at all times. No going anywhere unsupervised-"

"It's too late." Regulus interrupted him, hand wrapping around his wrist. "Voldemort knows. He'll begin his attack soon, won't he?"

Grandfather closed his eyes, jaw tense. "It has already begun."

"Already?" Sirius breathed, "What do you mean?"

"Of course." Regulus gnawed on his lip, "He knows the locket and ring are gone for good. He also knows the cup is gone. It's only a matter of time before he checks with Malfoy and the diadem.. well.. we've been at Hogwarts all year. He'll know we will have gotten to it already."

"So he knows they're all gone." Sirius scratched at his scalp painfully, tugging the roots in hopes that the pain would snap him out of this abominable nightmare.

"There has already been a string of attacks." Grandfather revealed, "Six muggle villages across the country have been decimated. Burned to naught but ash."

Regulus gagged, eyes filling with tears. "Six?"

"And four more wizarding villages as well as three werewolf attacks. All in one day." Grandfather sighed, "The first attack happened a few days ago in the early hours of the morning, shortly after Bellatrix fled from the Aurors in Diagon Alley."

"Why did we not hear of this?" Regulus questioned angrily.

Grandfather sighed, "It was the day you were set to meet the Lupin boy's parents. I did not wish to make you even more emotionally compromised than you already were."

Sirius clenched his fists, "Is there anything we can do?" He asked helplessly, "We can't just sit here."

"He knows I stole the locket..." Regulus murmured

"Don't you fucking dare." Sirius hissed, "Don't you dare get some- some _stupid_ idea in your head." _Breathe,_ he could hear the mind healer insisting. _Relax._

"I'm not an idiot, Siri." Regulus mumbled, trailing his finger over the drawing. "Even if he killed me, he'd just keep going. He won't stop until this whole country is enslaved." 

Sirius nodded once, "Exactly." He snapped, turning towards Grandfather. "So what do we do?"

"I believe the only thing we can do is try to end this." Grandfather sighed wearily, "The time has come. We knew from the beginning it would end like this."

"It's going to be madness." Regulus choked, "People are going to die by the dozens."

"A sacrifice that must be made." Grandfather insisted, "There are always casualties in war. We can only hope that we survive."

"You too?" Sirius asked.

Grandfather glared at him, "Do you truly expect me to just sit here while my grandsons go out to battle?"

"I- No." Sirius murmured somewhat sheepishly - his grandfather was too honourable for that, "What of the rest of the family?"

"They will be informed. Cassie already knows more than she lets on and I do not doubt she has informed Alphard."

"Well Cassie would never miss a fight." Regulus snorted mirthfully, "And Alphard's just as bad."

"Oh, believe me, I am aware. Cassiopeia has already hinted several times that she does not wish to miss _anything."_ Grandfather hummed, "Andromeda said much the same."

"Meda?" Sirius exclaimed, "She's got a kid! She cant fight!"

"That is exactly why she _will_ be fighting." Grandfather said sternly, "She is a mother and, thankfully, a very good one. Andromeda is also a fully grown adult and a more than capable witch. She will join us."

"What about Cissa?" Regulus asked, "She won't want to fight Bellatrix."

"It is of no consequence. She will fight." Grandfather nodded.

"How are you so certain?" Sirius questioned.

Grandfather gestured to the tapestry, "I know my family. I also happen to know exactly which members are truly loyal to this family and who will be willing to fight for our survival. I can assure you, Narcissa and that toadstool of a husband of hers will fight."

"Old Lucy in battle." Sirius snorted. "He'll be too busy worrying about his hair."

"Lucius is actually very strategic." Regulus mused, "He may not possess the ferocious tenacity of a Black, but he's certainly intelligent."

Grandfather hummed, "I also believe my alliances have worked well for us. The Prewetts and Longbottoms are primarily aligned with the Order, but they will still fight in our name. Callidora and Lucretia have assured me of this. The Malfoy's and Greengrasses will too. Any other Light inclined family is a given."

"Including the Potters?" Sirius raised a brow. "I know Jamie will fight-"

"As will his parents." The elder man nodded, "Fleamont and I have already spoken of this. Euphemia is also aware that a battle is inevitable."

"It'll be a fight to the finish." Regulus murmured, anxiously twisting his hands. "We- We might not make it out."

Grandfather's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, "I am aware."

"Don't say that." Sirius hissed, eyes stinging. The thought of losing any of his family members did not sit right with him.

Grandfather cleared his throat, "It is inevitable. Not everyone will make it out of this fight. Boys, you must prepare yourselves. You will need to rest - contact those which you trust."

"I'll send an owl to Moony." Regulus bit his lip for a moment, "And- And Dorcas. She'll be livid if I let her miss this. Too much Gryffindor in that witch." He murmured offhandedly.

Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Do we have any idea on when this will be going down?"

"Two days from now." 

Regulus and Sirius both froze, "What?" Sirius gaped.

Grandfather nodded solemnly, "I have a plan."

"What plan?"

"Rest, boys. Take it easy." Grandfather cleared his throat, gesturing for them to leave.

Sirius felt mutinous. Did he not deserve to know? Why on Earth was Grandfather being so tight lipped? One glance at Regulus, pale and shaken as he was, immediately extinguished his anger. Priorities. The time for planning would come. For now, Sirius had a letter to write.

As time progressed, a storm cloud of tension began to form over the manor. Brewing slowly, full of roaring thunder and a hailstorm that was simply waiting to be unleashed. None were left unaffected. The elves puttered about anxiously, portraits chattering nervously while the occupants of the home desperately tried to continue as normal.

Grandfather had been swift in his actions, summoning the main members of the House to the manor with simple letters demanding their attendance. They were currently waiting for them to arrive and Sirius had to refrain from snapping at James to stop bouncing his leg.

James and Remus had come over immediately. He had forgotten that he owned twin communication mirrors and had simply called for James as soon as he was dismissed from Grandfather's office. James hadn't dithered; rushing through the floo with orders to his elf to pack him a bag and send it through to Kreacher. As for Regulus, he had sent a letter to his friend Dorcas. His brother had informed him that Dorcas was very prompt and her quick and very succinct reply had proven that. Although she would not be in attendance today, she would be there as soon as they call for her.

After communing with Dorcas, Regulus had done _something_ to summon Remus. According to the werewolf, Regulus had tugged on their bond - incessant and full of anxiety. So much so, that Remus had apparated as close to the ward boundary as possible before calling for Kreacher. Oddly, the elf had answered and had happily brought him to Lord Black for permission to enter.

They were curled together on one sofa after James had just finished writing to Lily who would too be joining. James had plainly said that Lily would castrate him if he dared try to keep her out of this, which he so desperately wanted to do for her safety.

"I heard there was going to be a party." Cassie crooned as she swept into the parlour, "I have arrived with only my best daggers! Tis quite the shame, I had to leave my favourite sabre at home. Far too big to bring it out to cut down such pitiful enemies." She sighed mournfully, "No matter."

Sirius stared for a moment before letting out a mad burst of laughter. "Bloody hell, Cass. I always forget how much I love having you around."

Cassie sniffed, "Nonsense. Darling, I am simply unforgettable."

Alphard beamed at her as he danced into the parlour, "Didn't the Minister of Belgium once think you were Cedrella?"

"That was due to poor eyesight. He had glaucoma." Cassiopeia hissed waspishly.

"Which you cured by removing his eyeballs." Alphard coughed under his breath.

Cassie sniffed, "Well honestly if he were going to confuse me with anyone he could at least have chosen one of my more attractive kin. Cedrella has the face of an erumpent's backside."

Arcturus sighed wearily, "Do sit, Cassiopeia."

She clicked her tongue but did as he asked. 

They continued to wait as more members of the family filled the room. He was unsurprised that Pollux and Irma were not in attendance, nor was Orion. From what he had gathered, the man was now a recluse in Grimmauld Place. According to one of the portraits, he was of ill-health lately and Grandfather had quietly admitted that Orion's days were numbered. The family magics were finally taking their toll on him and it was only a matter of time before he fell to them.

It would not be painful like Walburga's demise, but it would happen nonetheless. Grandfather had beseeched him not to tell Regulus and Sirius had been quick to agree. Regulus was soft at heart and whether he would admit it or not, a part of him still greatly cared for Orion. Personally, Sirius did not much care for the man and when he inevitably died, he doubted that he'd shed even a single tear for him. Beyond keeping up appearances for the funeral that would be sure to happen, Sirius wouldn't even spare him a thought once he died. The man had been dead to him for years.

However, Sirius _was_ surprised to see Callidora and Harfang's side of the family as well as the Prewetts. He was even _more_ surprised to see Charlus and Dorea Potter stroll into the parlour shortly followed by Fleamont and Euphemia.

"Mum! Dad!" James grinned as they walked in. "Uncle Charlie, Auntie Dory!"

"Such a dramatic boy." Euphemia tutted as she took her seat, "If you had waited, we would have come with you!"

"Sorry." James mumbled sheepishly, grinning at his parents as he ran a hand through his hair. "Got a little-"

"No matter." Fleamont boomed, beaming at the room. "Well done, Artie. Got the whole crew together, eh?" He clapped far too jovially for the more sombre members of the family who sniffed haughtily at his lack of restraint.

Lord Black blinked slowly at Fleamont and Sirius could practically see him strengthening his occlumency shields to not react. "Lord Potter." Grandfather inclined his head slightly, "I am grateful that you accepted my invitation."

"As if I'd let my boy fight alone." Fleamont scoffed. 

Arcturus' lips twitched, "Quite."

It was at that moment that Andromeda, Narcissa and their husbands entered hastily. "I apologise, Lord Black." Narcissa said demurely, "We were held up."

"Abraxas?" Arcturus questioned, eyes fixed on Lucius who nodded once. "Unsurprising."

"He does not wish for me to risk myself needlessly." Lucius announced, "Although I would wish for her to be safe, Narcissa wishes to engage in the war. And I refuse to leave my wife."

Narcissa sat down, folding her hands in her lap. "As if you could stop me." She sniffed, "The audacity of that man. _She is your wife, Lucius, you can simply order her to stay at home._ Hm, quite. And be served your liver on a platter." 

Cassiopeia threw her head back and laughed, "Oh, my darling niece. How I have missed you!" She grinned sharply, "You've been so restrained. It's nice to see the real you. Not just a pretty face, after all."

Andromeda smirked, "Please don't flatter her, Auntie. Does terrible things to the size of her head."

Before Narcissa could snipe back with a petty comment, Kreacher appeared with Lily in tow. James jumped to his feet instantly, a grin on his face. "Lily-flower!"

Lily smiled at James but made sure to bow to the others in the room, dipping her head and ensuring she did not make eye contact. Sirius was glad that Lily was smart enough to not provoke the few that may have an issue with her being there such as Lucius or even the Light inclined purebloods. See, they may be more _tolerant_ of muggles and muggleborns, but their lines had managed to stay pure for a reason. Whether they liked to admit it or not, they were as prejudiced as the Dark inclined purebloods, just less open about it.

Although, they were also intelligent enough to know that mixing in some muggle blood every so often _was_ important, lest they all become inbred fools like the Goyles and the Crabbes. The Blacks had only managed to escape being affected by having such a large family tree with so many cadet branches that the familial magics were stabilised. The grey eyes and 'Black Madness' were.. _symptoms_ of inbreeding he supposed. 

Lily sat beside James who was enthusiastically trying to talk to her. However, the witch was smart. She knew that she wasn't completely safe in a room full of mostly purebloods and she likely picked up on the tension in the room.

"I believe that is the last of us." Arcturus murmured as he moved to stand at the centre of the parlour. Members of the family and those aligned with the Blacks were all dotted about the room and Sirius carefully shifted so that he was slightly in front of Regulus. His brother was anxious, fidgeting and biting his lip as he checked the doorway every so often as if expecting an attack.

 _Never,_ Sirius would _never_ allow such a thing.

"As I am sure you are all aware, a war has been brewing for years." Arcturus began solemnly, "The time for action has come."

"It's a little late for that, isn't it?" One of the older Prewett's sniped, "My boys have been fighting as Aurors for years!" _Ah,_ he must be the father of the Prewett twins. Makes sense, he had a similar face shape to the boys from what Sirius could see. Although he lacked their overall cheeky and fun-loving demeanour, this man instead had a tough scowl in place and looked as if he'd eaten a live wasp.

"Voldemort has become much more open in his attacks as of late." Grandfather continued, completely ignoring the interruption of the other man who glared at the side of his head.

Dorea tutted, shaking her head in a semblance disappointment. "Absolutely awful. And that _ridiculous_ girl - killing Goblins in broad daylight! Honestly, where is the sense in that?"

"No sense." Charlus agreed with his wife, "We're lucky Gringotts didn't declare war with all of wizardkind."

"They'd never do that." Callidora waved a hand, "Useless creatures. They're nothing without us!"

"Yes. Certainly." Grandfather carried on, "Voldemort has made it clear that he will not rest until our line has been decimated."

Euphemia frowned, "Is that so?"

Grandfather flicked his wand, summoning that afternoons Daily Prophet. "This has yet to be sent out to the masses. Fortunately, the Blacks own the largest share in the Prophet's holdings. Therefore, we always get a copy early."

The closest to him, Andromeda, plucked the paper and straightened it as she read aloud. " _Dark Lord Savages Britain_." She raised a perfectly sculpted brow, "Aren't they a little late? He's been savaging Britain for years now."

"Read the article." Grandfather prompted.

Andromeda flicked her eyes back to the paper ignoring the first few lines before she began reading, "' _The current reigning Dark Lord begins a new rampage. It appears his thirst for blood is not yet quenched and we at the Prophet can only contemplate what may have prompted this change in tactic. There have been many assumptions and some are wondering whether this has anything to do with the new political allegiances in play. As all readers may know_ '-" She cut herself off, "Yes, yes. We do not need to rehash the previous years." Andromeda mumbled, bringing the paper closer to scan through it.

"I do not understand." The Prewett matriarch piped up.

Andromeda cleared her throat, "They're releasing more information on the nature of the attacks. There's apparently been some sort of symbol left behind and they're releasing the information to the public."

"What?" Sirius hissed.

"A symbol." Fleamont rolled his eyes, "Of what origin?"

Andromeda continued to read before she tilted her head, eyes darting to Regulus before settling on Grandfather, an accusing look in her eye. 

Their paterfamilias only nodded slowly, "The symbol has been found at the scene of every attack. At first, it was simply thought of as a coincidence. They originally appeared at the first massacre a few days prior to this meeting. A wizarding home where the symbol was left drawn onto a piece of parchment in blood in the room the family were slaughtered in."

"They didn't think it was suspicious?" Narcissa frowned.

"It was in the parlour and a child was present. They simply believed it to be a drawing done by the boy. Red paint and blood can look similar if you are wilfully blind enough." Grandfather waved a hand, clicking his cane against the ground lightly to show his displeasure at the Ministry. Sirius didn't blame him and silently vowed to not be such a fool when he started his training. "It wasn't until they began scouring the areas of the muggle villages that were ransacked that they realised it had been carved into a nearby war memorial statue."

"So it kept appearing and they realised the link." Remus shrugged.

"Not quite." Grandfather curled his lip derisively. "Some in the Ministry, _again,_ simply believed it to be a coincidence. I believe this displease Voldemort and he became more open in his intentions. The symbol was then carved into the chest of every victim of the Langston family."

"The Langstons are dead?" Euphemia gasped. "I only met with Theodora for tea last week!"

Arcturus gave a commiserating glance to her, "I apologise. I thought the news had been in this mornings paper."

"It was." Cassie added.

Euphemia held a hand to her chest, "I didn't see it." She murmured. "You say the symbol was..."

"Carved into the victims, yes." Arcturus agreed, "After that, well, the Ministry could not deny what was right in front of them. Hence, the article. I do not know how, but a Daily Prophet reporter managed to get this information."

"The Ministry didn't want it getting out?" One of the Prewetts asked.

"Unsurprising." James sniped, "If the same symbol has been popping up for days now, I doubt they'd want people to know."

"They also wanted to try and gather the meaning of the symbol first." Alphard hummed, "At least, I'd assume so."

"You are correct." Grandfather nodded. 

"So what is it?" Dorea asked, "What's so important about this symbol and the new article that we all had to be brought here?"

"With no say in the matter, I may add." Callidora huffed. 

Grandfather tapped his cane against the ground anxiously, "The symbol seen at every crime scene, was the constellation of Leo."

At once, every Blacks eyes in the room widened and darted to Regulus. They weren't stupid. Everyone of Black heritage was taught the celestial bodies straight from the cradle. Sirius wasn't even exaggerating there. He and Regulus had a mobile hanging above their cribs that used to show the planets and the different star systems - it was even animated.

As for the rest that were not of Black birth, well, they were here for a reason. Either they'd married into the family or were somehow related to the Blacks.

"No." Narcissa clutched at her chest.

Regulus held his head high and Sirius was proud to note that he didn't seem at all surprised. Upset, yes, but unsurprised. He must have expected this. In a way, Sirius had too. Knowing what he knew now, there was no way Voldemort wouldn't make Regulus his number one priority. He wondered if Dumbledore would be offended at being overtaken.

Probably. The old man was just as arrogant as Voldemort in some ways.

"Well that won't do." Cassie huffed as if only minorly inconvenienced. "How are we to handle this?"

"You have a plan, I presume?" Andromeda asked tightly.

Grandfather nodded slowly. "Regulus is now Voldemort's highest enemy. It has been this way for roughly a year, only the fool did not realise it." Grandfather said with a slight smirk.

"This is what you've been doing?" Euphemia's eyes narrowed, darting her eyes between the two Black brothers and Lord Black. "Dragging these poor boys off on some crusade against a Dark Lord whilst they were supposed to be in school?" She boomed angrily.

"It was necessary, Mum." James insisted.

"You as well?" She hissed, anger burning in her eyes. "My son?"

James jerked his chin out defiantly. "I was an adult when I made the decision. You have nobody to blame but me."

Before Euphemia could respond or hex James bald, Fleamont laid a hand on her shoulder. "Just what have you been up to, Arcturus." The lack of the playful nickname was telling and Sirius could barely recall a time he'd heard Fleamont sound so sedate.

"Voldemort was immortal." Regulus announced quietly. 

The words held weight. At once, the room shifted. 

"Impossible!" Callidora waved a hand, "Nonsense!"

"That simply _can't_ be true." Charlus agreed.

"Immortal?" One of the Prewetts breathed in horror. Sirius really should learn their names. Only, he didn't much care to, if he were honest.

"How? In what-" Alphard shook his head, "How would he even manage such a thing?"

"You said was." Narcissa pointed out astutely. 

"I did." Regulus nodded. "We have destroyed his tethers to this plane. All that is needed is for someone to actually kill him."

Cassiopeia's lips were pursed as she eyed Arcturus, "I am assuming this is something particularly _foul?"_ She asked pointedly. Grandfather did not directly reply, only inclining his head slightly. To the rest, this probably did not seem like much. But Cassiopeia was probably the single person alive that could challenge Grandfather's knowledge of the Dark Arts. Sirius also didn't doubt she probably knew more than he did - though only due to her lengthy experience in the craft. Cassie's eyes darkened, tongue flicking across her lips as she straightened in her seat. 

"So he can be killed?" Fleamont asked, "Just to make sure."

"Yes. He can." Sirius confirmed, looping an arm around his brother. "Voldemort's as killable as you or I."

Alphard clapped his hands together, "That's brilliant then. Let's get to killing! Cass, my dear, any suggestions?"

"Oh I have several." She muttered darkly, swirling her drink around in her hand casually. "Not all of them are much fun though. Not if we wish for discretion."

"Sorry, Auntie." Sirius grinned. "I don't think you'll be able to keep the Dark Wanker's organs in your jar."

"Which one?" Cassie smirked.

Sirius laughed happily, as did many of the other Blacks in the room. Those only there by marriage seemed uncomfortable, especially those that were newer to the family. Callidora glared unhappily at Cassiopeia, a baleful look on her face.

"Always with the comedy." She sniped.

Cassie grinned sharply. "I assure you, _cousin,_ this is no laughing matter. If it were up to me, I'd bleed that cretin dry in the middle of Diagon Alley."

"Well it's about time somebody did _something."_ Dorea huffed. "I'm all for whatever it is you've been planning. If this continues, we'll be in ruins."

Euphemia frowned. "Not to mention our darling Regulus is now in immense danger." Sirius' lips quirked slightly at the way Regulus flushed at her words. 

"About that.. how will we keep him safe?" James asked Grandfather. 

"We will not." 

Sirius froze. At first, he was sure he had heard wrong. There was no possible way that Grandfather had just said that. Beside him, Regulus tensed and he heard Remus growl slightly under his breath as Grandfather continued to stare at them placidly. 

"What did you just say?" Sirius hissed.

"I said, we will not." Grandfather repeated, sharply tapping his cane against the solid flooring as protests began to fill the room. "Silence." He commanded sharply, the weight of his order as Lord Black hanging over their heads.

Sirius inhaled, nostrils flaring, before he exhaled slowly. "I apologise." He said tersely, "Could you explain your meaning, Lord Black?" He spat.

The man hummed softly. "Much better. As for my earlier words, I meant them. We will not be keeping Regulus safe. There is no need."

"Why is that, my Lord?" Andromeda asked, expression completely blank. Ted was much worse at controlling his expressions as he was eyeing the current Lord Black distastefully.

Arcturus met Regulus' eyes. "Regulus?"

His brother closed his eyes briefly. "We need a way to draw Voldemort out into the open. I am now his number one target.. there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that if he knew I were somewhere public-"

"No." Sirius interjected firmly.

"-say, Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade-"

 _"No."_ Sirius insisted.

"-he would certainly show up to finish me off himself. He would not let one of his lackeys do the deed. Not even Bellatrix."

 _"No."_ Sirius hissed. "No _fucking_ way. Not a chance in-"

"Sirius." Grandfather stressed his name. 

"No! This is madness!" Sirius jumped to his feet. "You want to use him as- as bait! Like a piece of meat to be-"

Grandfather rapped his cane against the ground again, "Silence, my Heir. You are too hasty, as usual." His voice was tight, leaving no room for argument.

Sirius' nostrils flared angrily, fists clenching and unclenching. Regulus laid a hand on his leg and he angrily batted it away, shifting so he was closer to James. "Don't." He hissed.

Regulus looked at him sadly, leaning against Remus when he turned away from him. James patted Sirius' back comfortingly, "It's alright, mate."

"I believe," Cassiopeia began, oddly calmly. "You should explain yourselves."

"It's the only way to assure he will show up." Regulus insisted. "Voldemort has been working behind the curtain thus far. For years he's been a whispered name, a figure shadowed in anonymity. He appears every so often but most do not even know his true visage. There have only been a few instances where he himself has lead any form of attack. All of those instances happened in highly dangerous or particularly political situations. The first time he publicly outed himself was when news broke that he was a half-blood bastard."

"That's true." Narcissa shifted uncomfortably. "The Dark- _He_ does not like to endanger himself unless necessary. He will only allow himself to be seen if he deems it prudent."

"And there's no way he'll let one of his little Death Eaters go after Regulus." Ted added, "He'll want to do that himself."

"It is also likely he will wish for it to be as public as possible. Now that the news of the symbol is out, it will only be a matter of time before someone is smart enough to connect the dots." Alphard sighed. "The public are well aware of the Black's stance in this war as of late, someone will put it together soon enough."

Fleamont snorted, "Well I can assure you of one person that already has an inkling." He said pointedly.

"Dumbledore." Remus rubbed his hand across his face. "Of course."

"And if he knows, we've got maybe a day or so before he makes a move." Fleamont finished.

Euphemia curled her lip derisively, "That man is such a piece of work."

"What do you think he'll do?" Lily asked quietly. Sirius had felt a little sorry for James when Lily had found out he had refused to join the Order. Of course, as a muggleborn witch, Lily believed joining the Order was one of the only ways to fight back and keep herself safe. So finding out that her boyfriend had refused had enraged the witch. James had then had to be the one to break it to Lily that Dumbledore was not all he was cracked up to be, something that Lily still seemed to struggle with.

He didn't blame her. As a muggleborn, practically all of her knowledge came from books. At least, originally it had. Of course, as the studious witch she was, Lily had devoured countless books on the magical world and the history that shaped it into what it currently was. And as the saying goes, history is written by the victor. Most historians and those currently in power believed Dumbledore to be a beacon of light, maybe even the second coming of Merlin in some regards.

In fact, Euphemia and Fleamont had been firmly on his side for a while. They'd both fought through Grindelwald's reign and therefore had no reason to doubt the man that had slain him. Or, well, _imprisoned_ him. But slain sounded better. Either way, it was only due to his constant badgering of James and subtle manipulations of the Potter parents that had corrupted their picturesque view of the man.

So, Lily had of course looked up to him too. A muggleborn sorted into Gryffindor was guaranteed to.

That was something Dumbledore himself knew.

Practically all Gryffindors sung Dumbledore's praises. He was from their house after all and was clearly one of the greatest wizards of all time. What was not to love about him? With his grandfatherly aura and endearing oddities, Dumbledore was very popular among the student body. It also helped that he was very lenient with the students, particularly if you were in his old house.

"Well, that depends." James bit his lip. "I suppose he'll probably try to get Regulus into the Order. Or..." He trailed off uncertainly.

"Say it, Jamie." Regulus whispered, a resigned look on his face.

"He might try to use Reggie as bait." James said uncertainly, "Except, he'll be less likely to tell you a thing about the plan beforehand."

"It is difficult to predict that man." Grandfather began, "However, I believe the young Potter Heir is correct. Albus Dumbledore is not all he appears to be-"

"Slander!" One of the Prewetts piped up. "Your anti-Light propaganda-"

"Regardless of your personal opinions, this is the truth." Grandfather continued, eyes daring the man to interrupt him again. "My grandson is very dear to me, I would never put him into a situation that I did not believe he was capable of handling." He said with a pointed stare at Sirius.

Sirius scoffed, "You still want to shove him into the middle of what we all know is going to be a battle characterised by bloodshed. People will drop by the dozens." He seethed. "Yet you think it's a good idea to just throw Regulus into that?"

"You do not think him able to handle such a thing? I would have thought that by now you would have more faith in your brother's abilities."

"It's not about faith! It's about not wanting to bury my little brother." Sirius' throat was raw and his eyes burned at the thought. He couldn't imagine ever being in such a position. "It's about not wanting my little brother to die when I know I could do something to stop it! So, yes, I have a fucking issue with this asinine plan of yours!"

"Who says you would not be there?" Arcturus questioned.

Sirius blinked, the tears clouding his vision. "Excuse me?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said."

"Then I do not understand your question." Grandfather rolled his eyes, "You are obviously going to be there. What do you think this meeting is about? We shall all be there. Unlike Dumbledore, I have Regulus' best interests at heart. As I do with all of you boys and as much as I have faith in Regulus, I do not believe he could take out all of Voldemort's Death Eaters single-handedly whilst simultaneously battling the man himself. We will all need to be there."

Euphemia sniffed, "I find that hard to believe." She sniped, referring to Grandfather's insistence that he had their best interests at heart. "Honestly, James, what were you-"

"Mum." James groaned as she fretted over him. "I'm not even injured! This was weeks ago!"

"So you _were_ injured?" She latched onto that with a vicious hunger. 

"Oh. Uh. No?"

"If I may continue." Grandfather cleared his throat as Euphemia began to puff up furiously. "Regulus' safety is of utmost priority. He will not be alone. We shall all be there to support him in this endeavour."

"Like a real family, aren't we?" Alphard faux sniffled, pretending to dab at his eyes. "Oh, I'm all emotional. Isn't this just delightful?"

"Proper family bonding." Dorea grinned, throwing her head back as she laughed.

Cassie mirrored her mad cackle and Sirius felt an odd foreboding. Bloody hell, the Blacks _were_ all mad. Would he be this unhinged in a few decades time? "This is going to be so much fun. Oh, I have so many ideas!" She grinned hungrily.

"You know what this will mean, don't you?" Andromeda murmured, stroking the back of Narcissa's hand.

The sudden attention of the whole room seemed to upset Narcissa slightly as she shifted uncomfortably. Her expression, however, remained cool and collected. Sirius felt pride fill him as his cousin simply raised her chin slightly. "I do. It must be done."

Andromeda's eyes closed in anguish before she nodded slightly. "Agreed."

"That girl signed her death sentence the moment she willingly took that bastard's mark." Callidora sniped. "Honestly, bowing to an unknown half-blood. Despicable!"

"Oh yes, because that is the issue here, cousin." Cassie rolled her eyes, sipping at her drink. "Do get over yourself. Your darling grandsons wife-to-be has a muggleborn grandfather."

"She is still a pureblood! Therefore, that little matter is of no issue, Cassiopeia." Callidora hissed. "Frank has done marvellously to pick such a witch." She nodded self-importantly, as if anybody in the room cared.

"Hypocrite." Cassie sniped.

"I have no issue with muggleborns." Callidora insisted.

Lily grinned sharply, "You just don't want us sullying your lines."

Callidora's cheeks reddened slightly and she sniffed, looking away from Lily. "That is not the case. I simply wished to correct my cousin and her ridiculous assumptions."

"Assumptions, she says." Fleamont huffed quietly.

"Do we have any plans?" Charlus asked after Callidora had sent a scathing glare at his older brother.

Regulus shifted in his seat beside him and Sirius refrained from reaching out to soothe him. He was still utterly furious with the boy. "Voldemort is intelligent. He is unimaginably clever and his power is immense. Taking him on, even for us, will be no easy feat."

"You know, I remember him from school." Dorea hummed. "Tom Riddle, yes? Hm. He was a few years below me and my memory may be vague, but I remember him as being quite brilliant. Shook the foundations of Slytherin House, in fact. Perceived muggleborn as he was." She waved a hand carelessly.

Alphard made an agreeing sound. "Me too. Again, vaguely. I just remember him being really attractive and a right teacher's pet. Top of every class, breaking scholastic records, apple of Slughorn's eye." He listed off with an eye roll. "Didn't ever realise how much of a menace he was."

"Because you were too busy eyeing his assets?" Cassie asked innocently.

Alphard snorted and shrugged, "You obviously never saw him. Gorgeous thing he was, a true modern Adonis or Narcissus. A cunning bastard too."

"Cunning?" Cassie laughed, "With the way he carries on, you'd think him a foolhardy Gryffindor."

"He lost all of his craft and slyness after delving into the Dark Arts with a reckless abandon." Sirius offered, prompting all of the Blacks that were in the room to scoff derisively. They'd all been taught the Dark Arts from a young age and all knew better than to allow Dark Magic to control your life.

Dorea curled her lip, "Fool."

"Still, we'll need to be careful." Regulus added. "He may be reckless, but he's powerful. Ridiculously so. There's a reason why nobody's been able to fell him and why all of the supposed prideful purebloods are happy to bend to his every whim."

Remus bit the inside of his cheek as he ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "This is going to be fun."

"It will be!" Cassie agreed, a manic grin in place. She didn't seem to pick up on Remus' anxiety or sarcasm and Sirius didn't doubt that she genuinely was excited about the upcoming events. "It's been so long since I've been a part of a good massacre! Oh, stretching these old bones out will do me a world of good."

"Emphasis on old, eh Cass?" Alphard winked teasingly.

Cassiopeia glared at him, "I'll have you know I'm just as spry as I've always been!"

"My dear Cassiopeia," Grandfather began with a pained smile on his face. "I do not think there is a sane wizard alive that would doubt your prowess. However, we must proceed with caution. He is foolhardy and arrogant, that makes him dangerous and unpredictable."

"He has nothing to lose. Absolutely nothing." Lucius murmured. Sirius' eyes darted to Narcissa and Andromeda who both cringed slightly knowing those words could very well be used to describe their estranged sister.

"Exactly. Which makes him the most dangerous man in the country." Grandfather said. "At least, it would. If it were not for the fact that we are Blacks. Nobody is more dangerous than a Black with a score to settle."

"The endangerment of a Scion of the House of Black is certainly grounds for retribution." Cassiopeia said solemnly.

"Technically, Voldemort's actions have endangered the Heir of the Blacks too." Narcissa added, checking her nails casually. "Did he not also endanger the life of the Potter Heir? It certainly seems so."

James winced slightly as his mother puffed up angrily, fists clenching in her lap. "Nobody hurts my boys. That abomination to magic must be destroyed! How shall we commence this?"

"You're okay with me fighting?" James asked uncertainly, eyes wide.

"No. Of course not. But you are an adult and therefore free to make your own decisions. You shall be joining the Aurors soon, think of this as practice." She sniffed.

Lily grinned, joining hers and James' hands together. "Thank you, Lady Potter."

"Call me Euphemia, my dear. You shall be my daughter-in-law soon enough!"

"O-Oh." Lily flushed, face matching the colour of her hair. "I-"

"Mum!" James hissed embarrassedly.

Alphard jumped to his feet and clapped his hands. "Right! Then I shall be off. I need to get my affairs in order."

"Quite literally." Cassiopeia snorted as she too stood, "Aren't you currently in a dalliance with at least three different royals?" 

"Two princes, a duchess, a marchioness, as well as her lesser cousin, and the King of-" Alphard cleared his throat, "Well, that is of no importance."

Cassie's eyes lit up, "Oh! Do tell."

"Later." He said gruffly, "I must go." Alphard bowed before making a hasty exit.

Cassiopeia shrieked. "You scoundrel! I must know!" She hissed, eyes burning at the thought of being deprived of such information. Sirius snorted to himself. She was a bloody fiend when it came to gossip. She put all of the snide society witches to shame. Her little Black book was infamous for a reason. "My Lord." Cassie snapped, giving a quick bow before hurrying off after Alphard. "Get back here! Is it Baudouin? Juan Carlos? Oh! Is it-"

Sirius snapped back to attention when other members of the family and their allegiances began to give their own parting words. He stood quietly, shifting slightly in place as Narcissa gave a final sad kiss to Andromeda's cheek before leaving with her husband. He didn't need to question what that was about. Narcissa and Andromeda had mere days before their eldest sister would meet her end.

And she would most certainly die by his hand.

It was true that he had loved Bellatrix. He had adored her in his early years and even still a part of him anguished over what had happened between them. But she was no longer the girl he used to know. She had changed, so much so that she was completely unrecognisable to him. Even her dearest sisters were against her now and that said a lot. Especially as Narcissa put family above all else.

(Then again, Bella was no longer family, was she?)

"Siri?" Speaking of family, his little brother's voice cut through his silent musings and he tilted his head slightly to see the boy looking up at him worriedly. "Are- Um-"

"C'mere." Sirius grumbled, wrapping an arm around Regulus to pull him closely against his chest. "You'd better be prepared. You'd better be sure, puppy. Because I can't lose you. So- So-" He cut himself off with a gruff clearing of his throat.

"I know." Regulus murmured, pressing his face into Sirius' neck. "It's the only way."

"I hate this." Remus groused.

"Seconded." James added. "Good thing Mum's not here. Apparently she was closer to the Langston's than I thought. Wants to go and pay her respects." He grimaced when Sirius looked around confusedly. Honestly he'd expected Euphemia to begin berating his grandfather and a part of him had craved to see it. 

Lily smiled slightly. "I'll be staying until, well, whenever." She said casually. But they all knew what she meant. _I'll be staying until the battle is over._

"Fun. Whole gang's together!" Sirius huffed. "What's the plan, boys? And lady." He added hastily at Lily's sharp look.

Lily rolled her eyes. "There is no plan. I'm pretty sure we're just supposed to ready ourselves and then.. let things play out."

"I hate that." Regulus muttered churlishly, kicking his foot out petulantly. "Athena would not approve."

"Ares would." Remus shrugged.

"Battle strategy is important," Grandfather said as he approached them. "If only Voldemort were not so wildly impetuous."

Remus snorted. "Wouldn't that be nice. There wouldn't even be a war going on."

"No." Regulus murmured. "If he'd have had any sense he'd have gone the political route. Probably would have won by now and had the whole country under his thumb, as charming and intelligent as he was."

Grandfather hummed. "We can only be thankful for his idiocy."

Sirius grimaced. He could imagine Regulus' scenario perfectly well. The worst part was that he knew for a fact it would have worked. Besides Dumbledore, it seemed everyone had loved Tom Riddle. Sirius wondered if even Arcturus Black would have bought into his schemes before banishing the thought. Grandfather was no fool. He'd have seen sense. The other purebloods however...

"Sirius? You coming?" Remus asked.

"Huh?"

"In one ear, out the other." James teased. "Always the way with you!"

"Shut up, prat." Sirius grumbled, kicking the boy in the shin. "What are we doing?"

"Showing Lils around. Reggie mentioned the library and she started salivating-"

"I did not!" Lily hissed, batting at her boyfriend.

James grinned unrepentantly. "Yeah, whatever you say, love. And we want to fuck with the portraits. Show them their worst nightmare."

Sirius let a slow grin overtake his features. "Oh Merlin. A _muggleborn_ in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?"

Lily threw her head back and laughed. "Come on, boys. I've got some old bigots to mess with."

Sirius laughed happily, desperately trying to push down the hysteria he felt growing, tinging the edges of his laugh. They were all acting like nothing was wrong. Like everything was fine and dandy. When in reality, it was everything but. Regulus was going to be thrown right into the centre of a bloody battle and all Sirius could do was try to cover his back. 

He trusted his brother. He really did! Sirius knew that Regulus was more than competent and would be able to handle himself. But that wasn't the issue. This was his brother, his precious little brother that he never wished to see injured or upset. So much so, that he had half a mind to banish Regulus from playing Quidditch every time he dismounted his broom with anything more than a scratch!

But there was nothing he _could_ do. Nobody would listen to him and his pleas, not even Remus. In hindsight, he knew they all had a point. Dumbledore wouldn't sit idly by for much longer, not with the new information that the fucking Prophet had posted out. Within a few days, someone would mention the fact that the constellation of Leo had a link to Regulus Black and from there, all hell would break loose.

Half of the country would probably try to demand that Regulus offer himself as a sacrifice! They'd probably try and resort to vigilante justice is he refused! As for Dumbledore, well, he was well connected politically and although Regulus was protected by the might of the Blacks, the Light inclined families still disliked the new shift in power. To them, Black was synonymous with evil and no sudden change of heart could sway them. The Darker Houses would also happily side with the Lights, at least on this issue and if worst came to worst, they could legally demand that Regulus show himself at the Ministry for a hearing.

A hearing which would inevitably lead to his death.

No, he understood their logic. He truly did. But still, he didn't have to like it. 

All Sirius was certain of, however, was that he would stick as close to his brother as he could. He didn't really have a plan in mind and that may be reckless or foolhardy, but there really was no way to predict a battle. You could try, but at the end of the day, things just happened sporadically and most battles ended up being a mix of luck, desperation and chance.

Sirius could only hope that for once, luck would be on their side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH, I am so unbelievably sorry that this was so late. I was trying to find a way to end this for the longest time - sighs. I hope everyone had a good holiday! If you don't celebrate, well I hope your days have been good!
> 
> How did you all feel about this chapter? There's not much left of this fic - which is both sad and exciting. I love this fic and really have enjoyed writing this but I can feel it starting to weigh on me a little and I can't wait for it to be done so I can take a break!! 
> 
> I sincerely hope you all enjoyed and again I truly apologise for taking so long to update :( <3
> 
> (If there's any Jegulus lovers, I have 2 Jegulus one-shots I've posted and I'm perhaps working on some more, as well as a Regulus x Remus one shot)


	41. The Burning of Bridges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus goes to Carkitt Market, meets an old friend and talks with his greatest enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visually, I was inspired by Leadenhall Market for Carkitt Market with some elements kept from canon for authenticity.
> 
> Awfully sorry about the wait - this was a headache and a half to write <3 I hope this chapter and the next two to follow will make up for my absence!

Regulus inhaled slowly, filling his lungs until they burned slightly before exhaling. This was it. There was no going back after this.

Grandfather had spoken to him quietly after dinner where they had met in the library and Regulus had unfurled a map of Carkitt Market. They planned to lure Voldemort to that square for many reasons. The main reason being, it was public enough to lessen suspicion but not so public that they ran the risk of injuring too many civilians. Grandfather had suggested Carkitt Market after Regulus pointed out that Hogsmeade was too close to Hogwarts for Voldemort to be comfortable with and Diagon Alley would have too many shoppers. Carkitt Market was generally unused by the general wizarding population unless one needed the Owl Post Office or the few specialist shops in the area.

For many, purebloods especially, Carkitt Market was thought to be the poor man’s version of Diagon Alley - which was true in some respects. It was, after all, home to Gregorovitch's wands. To the purebloods of wizarding Britain, having a wand other than Ollivander's was _unthinkable_ and an utter embarrassment to wield. Unsurprising as most of the purebloods of Britain were terribly xenophobic. They would happily wear Italian silk or have French furniture decorating their manors, but they still held an odd contempt for those of other nationalities when it suited them.

Carkitt Market also held the advantage of being predominantly outdoors. Not only did this give them ample space, but it also allowed them to scour the area as they pleased. With Diagon Alley, there were simply far too many busy shops that were all cramped together in a mismatched yet charmingly untidy fashion. The market was more modern and therefore had been planned out beforehand instead of slowly expanded the way Diagon Alley was.

Unfortunately, they themselves were not too familiar with the area and the images Grandfather had provided only did so much. For the most part, they'd be improvising. Luckily, just as _they_ did not know the area too well, he knew the Death Eaters certainly wouldn't either. Regulus understood the pureblood Death Eaters would have little knowledge of the area either. It was a gamble, but one which Regulus hoped paid off for them.

There wouldn't be many muggleborns or half-bloods out either as most of them were too busy fearing for their lives to worry about buying their off-brand styling potions or using the post office. The volatility of Voldemort's attacks had only increased and in the few days it had been since the meeting of the Blacks, another _seven_ villages had been razed. Lily had informed them that the muggle newspapers were citing these attacks as random incidents of faulty wiring or gas explosions depending on the area. So far the muggles seemed blissfully unaware, and if he and his grandfather had planned this well enough, Voldemort would be dead soon enough and it would stay that way.

Upsettingly, Sirius and Regulus had not had much time to talk. After the meeting with the Blacks, everyone had set off to get their affairs in order and discreetly inform their most trusted allies. Regulus knew the Prewetts would be bringing a few of the Weasleys and Grandfather's alliance had secured the help of the Bones', Longbottom’s, and the Greengrasses. With the help of the Potters, they had also ensured that the Macmillans and the Abbotts would be there to help. Regulus had also overheard from his elven friend that Lord Black and Lord Macmillan had endured a _lengthy_ discussion where Regulus could only assume that the truth of the previous Lady Black's demise came to light. Strangely, this had only strengthened the Macmillan's resolve to help them. Regulus had assumed it would drive them further away, but there was something to be said for Hufflepuff loyalty.

His brother also wasn't too pleased with his and Grandfather's plan, but there wasn't much to be done about that. Regulus had known from the moment they started hunting the Horcruxes that the day would come when Voldemort would realise the extent of Regulus' betrayal. Of course, he would prefer if that day had come when Voldemort was already bleeding out at his feet but no matter, Regulus did not bother to think of what could have been. He was still very proud of himself for discovering the man's secret and stealing all his Horcruxes and he'd be damned if he died before that bastard did.

Regulus would push through the battle out of sheer spite if he had to.

"Hello, beautiful." Regulus heard from behind him and he twirled on his foot, silver eyes meeting the soft amber of his boyfriend. The taller man was gazing down at him with a tenderness that Regulus sometimes wondered if he truly deserved. Remus was wearing an atrocious knitted jumper that had been a gift from James and his jeans were torn and faded. His shoes were his oldest pair and were held together by charms that were regularly reapplied to make the pair last as long as he could make them. Regulus wanted to reach out and run his hands through Remus' messy tawny hair while pressing delicate kisses across the bridge of his nose. Salazar, was he gorgeous.

"Remus." Regulus breathed, heart pounding in his chest, "I thought you were going to see your parents." He said in place of asking why he was back so soon. Regulus also refrained from adding what they both already knew, that this could be the last time they'd ever see their son. It was part of the reason he had been so happy to ask Grandfather to make Remus a portkey.

The taller shrugged, arms looping around Regulus' shoulders to pull him into his chest. "I did. Mum was very upset that I didn't bring you along." He murmured against the top of Regulus' head, "It's- I didn't want to stay too long. She was going on and on about my apprenticeship and how excited you must be to take up your Head duties and how I'll be around more now that I've graduated and how lovely it'd be after Hogwarts if you and I-" Remus cut himself off suddenly, arms tightening around Regulus.

"Yes?" Regulus probed curiously.

Remus cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Uh- She was just being her usual self. All big plans and seeing far off into a future that might not even be there."

The slightly scratchy fabric of his boyfriend's cardigan and the scent of leather-bound books had him weak with contentment and he sighed happily as he nuzzled into the fabric. "Don't be like that. I thought I was the pessimist in this relationship." Regulus muttered dryly.

With a huff, Remus began drawing patterns on his back. "Shut up." The elder mumbled childishly. There were a few beats of silence where Regulus happily let himself bathe in the comfort his boyfriend never failed to provide him with. He knew it was only a matter of time before Remus opened up on his own anyway and Regulus knew better than to push too hard. They'd all been a little on edge in the few days it had been since the plan was first set-in motion and he knew the stress was getting to his boyfriend.

Remus continued to silently breathe him in before he huffed again, "She was talking about marriage." He admitted, an unsteadiness to his voice.

That certainly took him off guard. Regulus swallowed thickly and continued their gentle swaying, refusing to show his shock to his skittish partner. "Oh?" He questioned gently. Not that Regulus was upset, but he was surprised that Hope had been so brazen. It had been a custom for wizards to marry fairly young and so he wasn't deterred by the mention of such a commitment; Remus was it for him, he knew that. But times were changing, marriage at their age wasn't terribly common anymore. As Hope was a muggle, he was very surprised that she was so on board with the idea but Regulus supposed he had made the mistake of underestimating her before.

"She-" Remus grunted as he pulled away, running a hand through his tawny hair. "She even had your something old picked out."

Regulus frowned lightly at the unfamiliar phrase, "Something old?" He queried.

Remus blinked, "Oh- Uh-" He blushed, "It's a muggle tradition for weddings. The bride is supposed to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. It's from some old rhyme. You're supposed to wear a sixpence in your shoe too but, as I said, it's nonsense really." He waved a hand, the speed that he was spitting out words increasing, "And I tried to tell her it wasn't necessary because there won't even _be_ a bride since we're both men but she's all for tradition and she's got this _thing_ about weddings. And the tradition is sweet, I guess. They've all got meanings, like blue is for purity and fidelity and the borrowed item is supposed to be from a happily married couple that is meant to symbolise good luck or fortune from them to us and-" Remus rambled to himself.

Regulus felt his lips quirk as he watched his boyfriend try to explain away the issue, "What was it?"

"Huh?" Remus asked.

"The something old." Regulus rolled his eyes with a gentle squeeze around his boyfriend's waist, "What was it?"

Remus mouthed silently before blushing to the tips of his ears, "I- This old pearl bracelet from her grandmother." He flushed, "I mean it's a nice piece of jewellery. It's probably the most expensive thing we own, in fact, but-"

"Do you not _wish_ to wed me, Lupin?" Regulus teased, exhilaration making his head spin at the thought of marrying Remus.

Remus' eyes widened, "Of course not! I mean- Of _course,_ I do! It's just- I don't want us to get married just because we feel like we have to because everything's so bleak lately and..." He trailed off with a wince.

"Just because we could die tomorrow." Regulus finished for him. "Isn't that how everyone lives? I've been through this with Siri - bloody hell, things really must have changed if I'm the optimistic one." He muttered to himself.

Remus frowned, "It's not that I'm being pessimistic. I just always wanted it to be meaningful. Trust me, darling, I've been dreaming of our wedding for years. That's most certainly not the issue here." He said with a flirtatious wink that had Regulus' lips twitching in amusement.

"Ah, I suppose on the time limit we have we won't be able to make a grand spectacle of it." Regulus nodded morosely. "A true shame."

"Yes, exactly. And you Blacks are all _unbearably_ dramatic. You love a good spectacle. Could you imagine being deprived of such a whole day that was all centred around _you,_ my love?" Remus teased, taking his hand, and spinning him in place. "Imagine it, a whole day dedicated to marvelling at the beautiful and magnificent Regulus Black." He breathed in fake wonder.

Regulus couldn't hold back his laughter and let himself twirl a few times before falling into Remus' arms. "Hm. I suppose that would be awful. But who is to say we can't get properly married after?"

"Oh? Are you proposing to me, love?"

"Perhaps, my dear." Regulus murmured, leaning closer to brush their lips together and gaze into his boyfriend's warm honey-toned eyes. "Instead of a rushed decision made by two young fools in love, think of it as my promise to you."

"A promise." Remus agreed softly, "That we'll both make it out of this and finally tie the knot?" He repeated.

"Is that a euphemism?" Regulus questioned innocently, intentionally widening his eyes and cocking his head.

Remus' jaw dropped and he let out a burst of startled laughter, "You've been spending _far_ too much time with James." He said soundly. After a few moments of snickering, Remus cupped his cheek tenderly, "I mean it though."

"As do I." Regulus hummed, brushing their lips together more firmly this time. "I shan't be a widow, Lupin. You'd better make it through this with me. And I simply refuse to be stuck watching over you as you fall for some other tart."

"You know, that implies you yourself are a tart." Remus pointed out.

Regulus sniffed, "Nonsense."

"Right, well, same to you." Remus huffed, the mood turning more sombre as Remus drew his eyebrows together, "You're going to be right in the thick of it. I can barely sleep at night anymore."

Regulus met his eyes sadly, sharing a commiserating look. He too had struggled to sleep. Nightmares had begun to plague him, and he'd taken to nursing a bottle of Dreamless Sleep to ensure he got adequate rest. If it weren't so vital that Regulus got _some_ sleep, he'd have just stayed awake and let the terrible visions consume him.

But this right here proved to him that he could not do such a thing. Regulus had things to fight for. Unlike when he braved the cave, for which he had been completely solo save for Kreacher. Before, Regulus had been a lonely and depressed boy with nobody to turn to. Now, he had his brother back, most of his family at his side, and even some friends that would fight with him. As well as this, he had a boyfriend he loved more than anything and Regulus planned to keep true to his word and marry the soft sap.

So, Regulus had multiple reasons to fight. Therefore, he had reasons to _live._ And he'd be damned straight to Tartarus if he didn't do all he could to make sure he could live out his future with those he loved right by his side. For them and himself, Regulus would fight until he couldn't fight anymore.

That too was a promise.

\---

"I am sure I do not need to impress upon you all the seriousness of what is to come." Grandfather's voice echoed throughout the ballroom they had crammed into. The room was packed full of family, friends, and allies that had been trusted to fight by their side. Some of whom had been borrowed from the Aurors such as the Prewett twins or the Order like Lily's friends, Mary, and Emmeline.

In perfect unison, those within the ballroom inclined their heads, some more enthusiastically than others. Sirius could see Aunt Cassie practically vibrating with excitement, her lips painted a crimson that he knew she had chosen specifically for the occasion. On the flipside, Lucius looked completely stone-faced, which in Sirius' opinion was preferable to Cedrella and Septimus who had stubbornly refused to attend. Grandfather had not bothered to try and persuade Cedrella, she would be useless in a battle anyway. 

However, Cedrella's son, Arthur Weasley, was more than welcome to join and Sirius had been surprised by how eager the man was to participate in the fight. Sirius had overheard him and his wife, Molly, muttering about their children and they had Molly's elderly aunt babysitting their five sons - two of which were only a few months in age. Sirius could respect that the two were clearly very prepared to fight for what they believed to be right, likely so that their children would not grow up in a world dictated by a madman.

"At noon, my grandson shall run some simple errands in Carkitt Market. From there, word will spread with the help of an ally, that Regulus is out in public without an escort. If all goes to plan, this will draw Voldemort - and hopefully a large portion of his army - out into the open. It is then that we will make our move." Grandfather said solemnly, impressing the seriousness of the situation upon them all. "I trust you are all prepared."

Again, everyone bobbed their heads in understanding. Sirius glanced over the crowd from his place beside his grandfather; it was odd to see a whole room of people tightly clenching their wands and preparing themselves for what was assuredly a grim battle. James and Lily were beside the elder Potters, matching looks of determination on their squared jaws. A pang of sympathy shot through him at the bleak but resigned expressions on his cousin's faces, the two sisters keeping their heads held high as they held hands. Sirius knew little Nymphadora was with Ted's muggle family in a property that Grandfather had prepared for them to ensure they were safe. It was possible that after this, Nymphadora Tonks could be one of the few Blacks left.

Merlin, that was a depressing notion. Sirius shook his head to rid himself of such intrusive thoughts and instead focused on his little brother. It had not escaped his notice that Remus and Regulus had been sickeningly clingy as of late. The two had clung to each other much like James and Lily were doing - likely as they were all aware that they were approaching their final days and wanted to spend as much time with their significant other as they could.

Sirius hummed to himself as he saw Remus clench his jaw and straighten his posture after Grandfather began to comb over the Death Eaters. In a stroke of wisdom, Sirius knew Athena would be proud of, Regulus had produced a portfolio with the key players on the opposing side, complete with what they were best known for. For example, Fenrir Greyback (who had just been introduced) was the leader of the werewolves, thus possessed increased physical stamina but he was not one to use his wand - only on rare occasions. Remus hadn't said it, but Sirius knew that his friend wished to be the one to take his maker on himself.

It was a good idea and Sirius was extremely proud of his brother for diving into his much more painful memories to produce accurate information. Regulus had quietly informed him that he had done so to ensure everyone understood just _who_ they were going up against. It would take a special level of skill to go against more powerful foes such as Thorfinn Rowle or Antonin Dolohov and he was sure the less talented duellists in the room were taking note of this.

Andromeda and Narcissa both closed their eyes briefly when Bellatrix's name was at last spoken, Grandfather himself citing her as the single most dangerous opponent they would face after Voldemort. Sirius couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to finally bury the witch and amused himself for a moment imagining her surviving and seeing Voldemort crumble before her. His lips quirked at the thought, he could almost hear her wailing and shrieking. A vicious thrum of pleasure flooded his senses at the thought of her distraught cries and a part of him mourned the loss of every shred of love he'd ever felt for her. Truly, he had always tried to cling onto those broken threads that once bound them together, but after she had conspired against his little brother and attempted to have him enslaved by Walburga, he had lost all feeling for her.

Now, she would die, and Sirius would ensure that he was the one to commit the deed.

Sirius nodded politely to some of his more esteemed allies as the room began to disperse into small groups, some filing from the room for a better sense of privacy with their loved ones. He silently watched as Regulus shuffled over to him with a cool expression. "Sirius." Regulus inclined his head slightly.

"Now?" Sirius raised his left eyebrow, eyes avidly taking in his little brother and their friends that had slowly made their way over to join them. Including, Regulus' rather straightforward friend Dorcas and her girlfriend Marlene. Sirius had been _terribly_ betrayed when that piece of information became known - he had thought his and Marlene's friendship ensured that he would be told when she got a girlfriend, but he was mistaken. Marlene hadn't been amused by his cry of treachery and had proven why she was the second-best beater in Hogwarts (after him, of course) with the solid punch she'd thrown at him.

Regulus blinked slowly, "Now."

Sirius inhaled and exhaled sharply, nodding at James over Regulus' shoulder. "You remember the plan?" He asked, warily eyeing Regulus to see if he had seen through their attempts at hiding what the _real_ plan was. By the almost exasperated way Regulus rolled his eyes, he hadn't. Good. Sirius would deal with the fallout later on but at least this way his brother had a real chance of surviving the fight.

Sirius could only hope that when the time came, Regulus would just go with the flow and not get too upset with them.

"I invented the plan." Regulus reminded him and Sirius had to bite his tongue at the conviction in his tone. "Moony and I have been over it a hundred times."

Remus wrapped his arm around Regulus thus proving Sirius' earlier point that the couples _were_ more attached than ever. "We're confident that it'll work."

Lily huffed, "It had better work. I don't fancy burying any of you. Black is a terrible colour on me, makes me look like a walking corpse, I'm too pale for it." She mourned.

"Let's hope you'll never have to wear it then, Lils." Marlene grinned at her. "Now, we going or what? I've been chatting to that brilliant Aunt of yours and I've got a question about this nifty little hex-"

"Oh Godric, save me." Sirius bemoaned. "Someone introduced McKinnon to Cassie? Who'd be that stupid?"

James ran a hand through the back of his hair embarrassedly and Sirius turned a scathing glare onto his best friend. "Sorry, 's my mistake." James grinned sheepishly, "I don't know what I was thinking to be honest."

"No time for thinking, Potter. Save what's left of your intelligence for the fight." Marlene winked.

"Please do. I can't be bothered to deal with Lily and Regulus crying all over me." Dorcas sniffed, using a spell to tighten the bun she'd tucked her thick curly hair into.

With a very pronounced frown, James cocked his head. "Only them two?" James questioned as they moved towards the door. The noise around them had quietened drastically and most of the bystanders seemed unable to do much more than looking sadly at their loved ones.

"Yeah, Meadowes. I'm sure I'd at least shed a tear or two if James snuffed it." Sirius said calmly, forcefully ignoring the painful jolt in his stomach at the thought of any of his friends or family perishing. He understood all of them were equally as nervous, but they were doing a decent job of pretending all was well and he was agreeable to keeping up the charade.

Dorcas blinked at him as they stopped in front of the door. "But I don't care about your feelings." She said plainly before exiting. Sirius startled slightly as the witch strode down the corridor, Marlene snickering as she followed closely behind her girlfriend.

Sirius turned accusing eyes onto Regulus who grinned up at him, "She's great, isn't she?" And, well. Sirius could certainly see why she was practically Regulus' best friend at this point.

Grumbling to himself, he prodded at his brother to walk ahead of him. Sirius let himself fall to the back of the group and kept his eyes trained on his brother. Every so often, Sirius' eyes would wander to a painting on the wall or a particular rug he'd always disliked and wondered if this truly would be the last time he'd ever see this place. Letting his gaze fall back onto his pack, smiling inwardly at the closeness of them, he swallowed as that nasty little voice in his head began hissing at him; whispering filthy lies such as that he'd be losing them all shortly, that it would be a complete slaughter, a brutal battle that would end in pain and blood.

No, Sirius reaffirmed himself. He'd never allow such a thing. That filthy little pessimist in his head was a liar. Sirius was about to walk into a battle with some of the most dangerous criminals in Britain with nothing but his wand and his own wits. He'd have the others around him as a backup, but Sirius knew he would be majorly alone in this. And that was completely fine. Sirius knew how to duel, and he knew how to walk into a fight and walk out with all his limbs. He could only hope that the same was true for his best friends.

Sirius could do this. There was no room for doubt - any hesitation would be signing his death sentence and he couldn't allow himself to fall if it meant leaving a Death Eater alive to torment his friends. His family. No, Sirius set his jaw. He wouldn't fall. He would down every piece of scum that wore that psychopath's mark without a hint of remorse. Sirius would see this battle through and wipe the blood from his hands when he was done and not a moment sooner.

\---

Regulus tilted his head as he examined the square before him. Carkitt Market was designed in a large T-shape with the centre where the two long stretches of pavement met being the thickest part. To his left, a long street that was very unnaturally straight which was mirrored on his right side too. In front of him, the street was much wider and had more space for lounging on the benches or browsing the few market stalls that usually appeared from noon onwards. Trailing his eyes around the unfamiliar market, he noticed that the shop faces were all perfectly aligned and marked off in equal stretches, the bright colours and odd floating signs being the only thing that gave away the true oddity of this otherwise ordinary street. Behind him, the main attraction of the market towered over the little square - the hub of the Owl Postal Service. This was the main branch and where all the sorting for post happened; with every letter being magically assigned to postal owls that would then soar into the sky to deliver them as fast as their great wings could carry them.

In the very centre, sat a small gothic style kiosk with a tall, triangular roof with a sign dubbing the small store, Eternelle's Elixir of Refreshment. From what Regulus could gather, it was a little shop for various beverages mixed with potions. How quaint.

Beyond that, Regulus could see the third street of the alley and had a full view of the beautiful glass roof that hung overhead. Internally, Regulus cursed how simple the layout was but bit his tongue from mentioning that aloud. Although the simple design of three main streets with a large square in the centre wasn't ideal, it was far better than Diagon Alley. As well as any other location as they would simply be too random and would arouse suspicion. Regulus was fairly certain Voldemort wouldn't fancy turning up to a random field in the middle of Lancashire. Anyway, Grandfather had already gone over this many times with him, but it didn't stop Regulus from wanting to complain.

Although the layout was simple, the Death Eaters would still need to take a moment to work out where they were. At least, that's what he hoped. Regulus knew that once Voldemort heard that he was out in the open, the wizard would simply send out a call to all of those with the Dark Mark. From there, they would appear in succession all eager to follow their master. There would be a few stragglers that were much more reluctant in their enthusiasm but for every unsure Death Eater, there would be at least one to cancel them out with a fervent passion for the cause and a desperate urge to please Voldemort - a very dangerous concoction. None of them would be anywhere close to Bellatrix's overzealous nature but that didn't mean they were not a threat.

With a slight huff, Regulus tugged at the clasp of his cloak before straightening his back and continuing his travels down the market.

The defining feature of Carkitt Market was the overhanging roof in an old Victorian style that let light stream in through various coloured panels. The little brightly coloured spots of light made a smile tug at his lips and Regulus couldn't help but think that this market was far too beautiful to be the scene of a battle. The supporting pillars and overhangs at the roofs of the buildings were decorated with carvings and different plants to paint an attractive picture. Numbly, Regulus wondered why the purebloods of Britain preferred the slapdash mess that was Diagon Alley when Carkitt Market was much cleaner and was certainly more appealing to the eye. It was also clearly better organised with the separate streets catering to your interests and the few small side roads hosting the more niche needs of the public. Perhaps it was due to the ease of access to muggle London, only a simple gate separating the two instead of a magically hidden entrance.

In fact, if he concentrated, Regulus could faintly hear cars running and the occasional loud horn he remembered from when Remus had driven them to his parents. James had _loved_ reaching over and pressing the thing to annoy Moony.

In the distance, Regulus could see a few wizards and witches scurrying along the edge of the street. Inwardly feeling relieved at the lack of wide-eyed innocent children, he blinked as one of the wizards sent him a strange look before following closely behind his wife. Regulus wasn't surprised that he had been recognised and continued browsing the window of the shop he had paused in front of by chance. A glance at the sign declaring 'Cogg and Bell Clockmakers' sent a hint of amusement through him and Regulus promised himself that he'd buy a nice clock for Grandfather once he was done. Or perhaps Hope would like a nice wall piece for the living room, it would certainly be beneficial to endear his future mother-in-law to him.

The 'plan' - which was better referred to as a few loosely held together ideas - had already been set in motion from the moment they all departed the ballroom. Regulus was well aware that there were some holes in his plan and there was always the possibility that Voldemort wouldn't show, but Regulus had an inkling that not only would he turn up, but he would do so with a vengeance.

They were relying heavily on the notion that Voldemort would believe the whispers spread by their unwilling ally, Abraxas Malfoy. Abraxas had been clever to not appear too pleased to be aligned against Voldemort politically and had privately kept his associations with some of the influential Death Eaters. This, quite frankly, had been expected and the rapid paling the man had done when Grandfather smoothly questioned him was certainly a remarkable sight. Regulus had already known that the old man was smart enough to play both sides and they had assured him that as Abraxas had not outright betrayed them, he would be safe from any repercussions - _only_ if he were willing to do this one small favour for them.

Ah, Malfoy should have known better than to try to outwit the Blacks.

Regulus wasn't sure exactly _who_ Abraxas was planning to whisper in the ear of, but he could assume it was Lord Yaxley or Lord Rosier, maybe he'd even set up Crabbe or Goyle, Regulus didn't much care. Whoever he spoke to would likely believe him as Abraxas had been _very_ reluctant to side against Voldemort and he was pretty sure his friends all knew it. The man had a rather loose mouth when given enough elven wine.

Thankfully, the papers had not _yet_ begun their crusade for Regulus' blood so the idea of Regulus being out like any regular teenager was believable. Of course, being a Black in Carkitt Market would draw attention, but Regulus was also publicly in a relationship with a penniless half-blood of little social standing. So, it was an easier potion to swallow.

A small sound to his left caught his attention and Regulus subtly tilted his head in the direction the noise came from, focusing intently to hear what had happened. It was strange. The sound was oddly familiar - far too familiar for Regulus to discard it and he made sure to lean closer to the window displaying the variety of carved clocks to appear entranced by the variety of options which he likely would have been in any other circumstance.

_It wouldn't do to alarm his watcher that he was paying attention._

Regulus knew Sirius and the rest of his pack were each positioned close by as were the rest of his family. But they all knew the plan. Therefore, it couldn't be one of them; their allies too had all been told not to intervene until Voldemort arrived and the signal was shown.

Over the sound of his heart thumping in his ears, Regulus heard the same little scratching sound again and frowned. The sound had come from the southern street which was where Regulus was to be stationed, hence why he had made sure to wander down that area of the market. It was not only the furthest point from the post office - being opposite the large building - which drew in the most customers, but this area also had barely shops, thus, less foot traffic. It guaranteed that Voldemort would be able to find him and lessened the risk of one of his Death Eaters getting in a cheap shot like if he had stayed towards the centre.

The same little noise reached Regulus' ears and he scowled at a particularly ugly clock face with a stuck-on moustache in retaliation. Regulus knew he recognised that noise, but he simply couldn't place it. It had been a strange scratching sound, so minute that Regulus had almost missed it and he knew that if it weren't for his vulpine hearing, he wouldn't have heard it at all. The noise would have been smothered by the clicking of a witch's coin purse or the stomping of a wizard's boots.

Regulus frowned darkly at the large Grandfather clock; the frozen time displayed on the broken clock face irritating him. He huffed as he readjusted his cloak before pausing as he heard the sound closer this time. It was so subtle but not so much that the person making it was deliberately silencing themselves. There was certainly no magic involved. _Odd,_ Regulus couldn't help but think to himself, _surely for a stealth mission, it would make more sense to use a charm to ensure you could not be overheard._

As he began inching closer to the noise, he froze as the soft scurrying noise reached his ears, only _much_ louder this time. Oh.

Just as Regulus turned to face the direction of the noise, a person appeared before him.

"Hello, Regulus." The rounder man said with a wobbly smile.

With a slow blink, Regulus tilted his head curiously at the vermin in front of him. Of course, how could he have mistaken the repulsive sound of a rat scurrying through a filthy gutter for anything else?

"Peter." Regulus replied tonelessly, "Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked politely.

The other man gave him an imploring look and Regulus took a moment to observe him. Peter's dirty blond hair was hanging over his round blue eyes, the strands lank with built-up dirt and he wrinkled his nose at the stained shirt the other man was wearing. His once naturally pale skin was papery looking, and he appeared very flushed and ruffled. Anxious or maybe anticipating something. Although, the sheen in his eyes had Regulus second-guessing himself. Peter seemed almost electrified.. animated in a way that he had never seen before. How bizarre.

"Actually, yeah. Do you know where the lads are?" Peter finally responded, leaning closer to Regulus. A subtle inhale had Regulus' nose wrinkling. The pungent odour of his body had Regulus wishing he could take a step back from the overwhelming scent of sweat.

Regulus hummed, putting on an aura of disinterest as he unfastened his cloak and hung the garment over his arm, "They're busy." He offered, eventually. Peter had made his dislike for Regulus abundantly clear if the numerous letters requesting to meet with James, Sirius, and Remus were any indication. He had specifically left Regulus out of the invitations and when James had tried to organise a final meeting a few days prior, Peter had suddenly been too busy. Regulus' heart had ached for his three packmates and he knew that the lost chance to say goodbye to their friend hurt them.

Peter's brows pinched together, "Busy?" He repeated, tone almost snide.

"Hm." Regulus turned his attention back to the clocks. He thought the beautifully crafted rosewood would look stunning upon the little table in the Lupin's entrance room. The soft red-tinted brown clock matched her furniture perfectly and Regulus was already imagining her presenting the item to any of her friends when they came over for tea. _Oh, that? A most wonderful gift from my son-in-law! Such a handsome young man he is - and what a good eye for décor he has!_

"I wanted to talk to them," Peter murmured uncertainly, eyes darting around anxiously. Regulus flicked his gaze away from Peter's reflection in the glass, careful not to be caught peeping as he startled out of his daydream.

"As I said, they're rather busy as of late." Regulus said casually, "James and Sirius have been preparing for Auror training and Remus has started an apprenticeship with my aunt."

Peter blinked with a rather taken aback expression plastered across his face, "O-Oh? I didn't know that." He muttered uncertainly.

"It's a fairly recent development." Regulus acknowledged mockingly and the subtle dig at Peter's lack of presence in their lives did not go amiss. Quite frankly, he couldn't help himself. Peter had behaved terribly with the Marauders and any attempts at fixing things over their last year of school had been ignored so Regulus had long given up pretending to care for the little worm. He had seen the devastation on James' face when Peter had refused to show and he was sick of the boy's victim complex.

Peter's lip curled slightly, "You don't have to always be so rude, y'know."

Regulus turned to him with a dry smile, "Oh? I didn't think I was being rude. I simply pointed out a fact."

"Yeah, sure." Peter snorted. _A rather ugly action on such an unappealing boy,_ Regulus thought. "So, they're busy?"

"I already said that, didn't I?" Regulus rolled his eyes, shifting to ensure he could still easily take his wand in hand from the holster on his wrist. The reassuring press of wood against his skin lessened his discomfort as he fought to ignore the increasingly oppressive atmosphere. Distantly, Regulus was aware that the few people in the market were suddenly ducking their heads and disappearing out of sight - not the best sign. Following a particularly startled-looking older witch out of the reflection in the glass, Regulus watched as she grimaced at something over her shoulder before hurrying down one of the side streets, a soft crack of apparition following shortly after.

Silver eyes narrowed at the leaves stirred up from her hasty departure just as Peter glanced at a point over his shoulder. "Always with the attitude." Peter sneered, "You just couldn't make this easy, could you?"

The hair on the back of Regulus' neck prickled as he fought to stay calm. His back was completely exposed to Peter as he continued his casual perusal of the clocks in front of him. It was too early to make a scene, he had to keep his composure no matter how oddly Peter was behaving. A part of him wondered if the boy had finally grown a spine and was now calling him out on his behaviour but the strange timing and increasing aggression rolling off the other man had his hackles raised.

Something bigger was happening. Something Regulus hadn't quite anticipated.

"I do have some more errands to run today, Pettigrew." Regulus murmured brusquely, "I would appreciate it if you would leave me in peace."

Peter's face spasmed slightly, his cheek twitching in agitation as he pressed even closer to Regulus who by this point was rigid from the tension. "You won't know peace for a very long time." He said ominously.

Regulus fought the urge to draw his wand, simply turning his head to face the boy while keeping his body angled toward the window. "Is that so?"

The slight smile on Peter's face caused a cold feeling to settle in Regulus' stomach. A small feeling of pity for his pack bloomed within him though it was obscured by the sickened repulsion he felt at the rodent that had dared to converse with him. Really, Regulus had always known; a part of him had never felt truly comfortable around the boy for a reason and he had sadly expected this day. But to see it for himself was an awful thing. Painstakingly slowly, Peter lifted his sleeve enough for Regulus to glimpse the thick black stain of the Dark Mark on his freckled forearm. Nausea curled in his gut as he flicked his eyes up to meet the hardened blue of his brother's old friend.

"The Dark Lord sends his regards." Peter whispered slowly.

Regulus felt that sense of pity pulse for a moment. No matter his own feelings towards this boy, he truly had been a friend to the Marauders for years and he knew that this would be an _unimaginable_ blow to them. From the moment Peter had approached him, Regulus had wondered what the rest of his pack must be thinking of Peter's sudden appearance. He wondered if they'd made the connection from wherever they were.

"Tell him to rot in hell." Regulus replied, a smile gracing his face.

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Peter sniped back.

For a moment, Regulus wondered just how Peter had become entrenched in Voldemort's madness before dismissing the thought. He didn't care, not really. The Marauders would want to know, but Regulus knew it wouldn't matter. If Peter had ever truly been their friend, joining Voldemort wouldn't have even so much as crossed his mind. Someone like James would think that somewhere along the line, Peter could have been saved. But Regulus knew how one got the Mark in the first place and for a half-blood Gryffindor with no financial standing, Peter would have had to do something drastic to deserve being initiated. The moment he took the Mark he would have been lost to them unless he truly wished to repent. The look in Peter's eye did not inspire much confidence that this would ever be the case.

"Go fetch him for me then." Regulus said sarcastically.

Eerily, Peter smiled. "My Lord already knows you're here. Why else do you think I came to talk to you today?" Regulus was taken aback slightly at the form of address as it showed that Peter really was an active Death Eater. How pitiful. Regulus knew more than anyone that not everyone joined of their own free will but it was very hard to fake such eagerness. Whether it was an act to save his own skin or he really was this far gone, Regulus had no idea. Whatever, it was of no consequence now. Anyone that willingly bore the Mark was an enemy to him.

Regulus tilted his head, "Hm." He hummed amusedly. "You aren't as good of an actor as you seem to believe you are, Pettigrew."

The other man's eye twitched and his lips twisted angrily but otherwise, he made no more movements. Regulus blinked slowly at the display of control. Peter was clearly more than just a casual observer if he were able to compartmentalise his emotions like that. He wondered just how many people he'd tortured or murdered in Voldemort's name. Even worse, he wondered if Peter had been an interested follower even while sharing a dorm with his packmates. Merlin, Regulus hoped not.

Before Peter could reply, a hush fell over the street as the soft whirl of a cloak echoed through the otherwise empty market. Waves of Voldemort's thick, cloying magic rippled over him so strongly that his knees buckled slightly. The few stragglers in Carkitt Market suddenly hurried away as if their lives depended on it. Peter sent Regulus a final victorious smirk before he pushed past him and disappeared around the corner towards the leftmost street.

Voldemort was stood alarmingly casually for a man that was oozing with repressed rage. Cracks began to form in the pavement surrounding him from where his magic was lashing out angrily simply from the sight of Regulus Black alive and well. Regulus' face smoothed out into a blank stare as Voldemort pretended to peruse the area around him disinterestedly.

"Such an unpleasant place." Voldemort hummed, taking a step forward as a crack formed beneath his feet. A gust of wind caused Regulus' arms to break out in goosebumps from the chill.

"I quite like it." Regulus supplied calmly although his heart was beating so fast, he could hear the frantic thumping in his ears. Slowly, Regulus pulled his wand from the holster and squeezed the handle reassuringly to ground himself. He wasn't defenceless here. Behind him, scuffling and hushed whispers reached his ears and he refrained from turning to see what was happening, keeping his eyes on the predator before him. Likely, Voldemort's little pets had felt their master's calls for them and had apparated into the market to see what he needed.

The lack of shouting and curses flying was the only thing assuring him that the battle had not yet begun, and Regulus was confident he knew why that was. No matter their respective social standings, every Death Eater answered solely to Voldemort. They deferred to his judgement else they would be punished. They would not act until he did. Some did so out of respect while others were simply too terrified of him. Regulus only hoped the others were in optimal positions to take as many of the Death Eaters by surprise as possible. Cursing someone in the back wasn't exactly _noble_ but there was no use for chivalry in a war. This wasn't a classroom duel and Regulus hoped the Order members especially knew that. They were the most likely to try and make it a fair fight; no wonder most of them were idiot Gryffindors.

As for the main man himself, Regulus knew he would never be able to beat Voldemort in a duel. The notion was completely absurd. Not only was Voldemort much older but he was much more magically experienced. Regulus could take on his servants easily enough and he felt confident in his abilities to even tackle the Inner Circle if he were feeling particularly reckless enough.

But _there_ was the crux of the issue.

By nature, Regulus was methodical. His duelling style relied on intelligence, stealth, and thought-out tactics. He tended to use his enemy’s weaknesses against them and exploit any cracks in their armour for all it's worth. After all, he had been sorted into Slytherin for a reason. Often, his self-preservation would kick in and so acting rashly was never in his best interests. The only times he had done so had been when he was in his deepest moments of depression or one of his loved ones was in the line of fire. A chaotic battlefield was the last place he wanted to be.

Tilting his head, Regulus stroked his thumb along the edge of his wand as he eyed Voldemort carefully. For Regulus, this was the first time he had seen Voldemort in person since Regulus had absconded from his service. The familiar serpentine fluidity to his movements, the unnatural pallor of his skin, and the dangerous way he stared down all those around him like they were his prey, all had Regulus' hands shaking. Red eyes gleamed as they stared each other down for a moment, two, before Voldemort exhaled softly.

"Oh, young Regulus. You had _such_ promise." Voldemort lamented with an exaggerated sense of despair, making a grand movement with his right hand where the curved handle of his bone-white wand lay. "It is truly a pity."

Regulus inclined his head, "I like to think I saw the light."

"All of this," Voldemort gestured around him, "Is it truly necessary? Your demise is inevitable."

Regulus' lips quirked, "No. But I thought I'd at least give it my best shot. Besides, you're human now, Tom."

Voldemort's magic pulsed with rage, a snarl pulling at his upper lip. "Such disrespect _."_ He hissed sharply before straightening, "How far the mighty House of Black has fallen. I shall bathe the streets with the blood of every member of your pitiful House. I'll start with you and end with your blood-traitor brother."

_"Every_ member of my House?" Regulus queried faux-innocently, "It's a shame that no longer includes Bellatrix." He said breezily.

From behind him, a shriek of outrage echoed through the street and Regulus tensed against his will. No matter how far she had fallen from who she once was, Bellatrix had once been a truly _beloved_ cousin of his.

"You dare!" Bellatrix cried, "I'll have that half-blood freak of yours boiled alive! How dare you insult my Lord!" Regulus ignored her, keeping his eyes on Voldemort who ordered her to be quiet. Of the two, Regulus knew who the bigger threat was. Besides, unlike with the cave, Regulus had backup. He would bet his whole inheritance that every member of his pack had their wands trained on the witch from the moment she had made her appearance so she could run her mouth all she wanted.

Voldemort continued to blandly stare at Regulus, the impatience within him clearly growing. "Now, I am a merciful Lord. I will give you the chance to repent, young Black." He said in an oily tone. Voldemort's voice was simultaneously persuasive and charming, a lethal combination that he had clearly perfected over the years. A year ago, Regulus would have fallen over himself in his haste to agree and beg for forgiveness.

But not anymore.

A rush of amusement forced a laugh out of Regulus and he only continued to laugh as Voldemort's eyes flashed angrily at his blatant disrespect. He took a moment to revel in the shocked whispers and gasps from the Death Eaters behind him before he composed himself enough to speak. "After I destroyed all of your little trinkets? I don't think so. I'm not that stupid, Riddle." He taunted, tossing his cloak aside and reaffirming his grip on his wand. "Besides, I've rather embraced my Gryffindor side as of late. If I'm going down, I'm going to go down fighting 'til my last breath."

_"Pathetic._ Once such a proud and noble lineage which produced only the finest wizards and witches has regretfully been tainted and cursed with mudblood lovers." Voldemort sighed with false sorrow coating his words. "I shall be doing a service to your house by pruning the rotten branches of your family tree."

Regulus twirled his wand casually in his hand, "Are you going to keep talking, or are we actually going to fight like proper wizards?"

Voldemort snorted derisively; cruel amusement reflected in his mocking grin as he scornfully raked his unnatural eyes over Regulus' form. "You truly believe that you are any match for me, boy?" The mocking tone made Regulus roll his eyes as Voldemort snorted again, "You, a mere child, are nought but a pest. Of that, I can assure you."

"That may be so," Regulus acknowledged, "However, I'm not alone." He revealed with a smile on his lips.

At once, a similar fluttering sound rippled throughout the square and he almost shivered in delight at the true surprise on Voldemort's face. Of course, the man was careful to quickly mask his shock with a mask of cool rage, but Regulus internally purred at the way his red eyes darted around the mass of figures behind him. He wondered if he recognised most of the Black family in attendance as well as some of the Order members and a few trustworthy Auror allies. He wondered if he was aware that he had been tricked. He wondered if he realised that he had been outsmarted for the last time.

Regulus wondered if Voldemort knew he would die today.

Clearly, he did. Narrowed crimson eyes glared at him hatefully and Regulus raised his wand, already thinking through how best to approach the situation.

"You truly wish to die so young?" Voldemort questioned rhetorically. The loose, casual way he had been standing and holding his wand had changed the instant Regulus' revelation had been spoken. Although he didn't appear to be, Regulus knew the changes indicated that he was now on alert and much more wary than he would usually be.

Regulus swallowed thickly as he pictured his family, his birth family - the one he had not chosen. The ones that had lied to him and manipulated him for years, the ones that had bullied and abused him into submission until he didn't dare question a thing they said. Regulus met Voldemort's stare evenly thinking of a crippled and wailing Kreacher apparating in front of him with wild eyes; James, ashen and choking on his own blood beside him with a resigned look of acceptance as his eyes lost their glow; of Remus, pale-faced and terrified as he desperately tried to hold them together; and Sirius, shaking and sobbing but with determination in his eyes as he fought until his last breath. Thinking of them, of his _true_ family that had taught him how to love, how to live, and how to be free, his next words came easily to him.

With a careless shrug that could only come from someone recklessly determined, Regulus spoke.

"Why don't we find out?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally double-spaced so the gaps between paragraphs are slightly bigger but.. I'm thinking it makes it slightly easier to read?? Any takes on that? Maybe it's just me.. if it bothers anyone I'll fix it but if not then I'll continue to double-space for such a lengthy fic.. I think especially for these very word-heavy chapters it makes it easier to read!!
> 
> Wow, okay, so this was a lot. I've already written the whole battle and it ended up being way longer than I had anticipated.. Originally this was going to be ONE chapter but then.. well.. I realised that almost 30k for one chapter was way too much so I'm cutting it into three parts, so bear with me!
> 
> I really, really hope you all enjoy this! Especially the actual fight scenes.. I tried really hard to make them good and I'm hoping I didn't fail too miserably. <3 Stay safe and happy!!


	42. The Greater Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle commences, enemies are dealt with and the boys experience the pain of war firsthand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: Death, Murder, Blood, Torture, Gore, Derogatory Language, Possibly Threatened Rape (It's sort of left up for interpretation - however, non-con elements could be deciphered from the subtext so please be cautious)
> 
> I really wanted to make the possible non-con clear because nothing happens (spoiler://, there isn't any touching of intimate areas, it's more about what's threatened) but I know it could be triggering to some.
> 
> As for the spells used, I really tried to make this interesting and not just:  
> "Stupefy!" / "Protego!" / "Expelliarmus" vs "Avada Kedavra!" / "Crucio!"  
> because that gets really boring and annoying even to write so I tried to mix things up.
> 
> Also, the chapter title is a reference to Canis Major aka the constellation that features the star, Sirius. This is because.. well.. Sirius has an interesting time this chapter.

An old Auror acquaintance of Alphard's had once spoken to Regulus at a Ministry fundraiser ball. They had not had much time to speak as his parents had always kept him well within their sights. However, what little they _had_ talked about had been fascinating to Regulus. The older man had weaved tales of grim battles and spells flying so fast you could barely understand what was happening. _Chaotic,_ the man had described his work life as. Regulus had never _completely_ understood what he meant by that and his brother beside him had been too busy gushing over the Auror and his wild tales fraught with danger and excitement to give it much thought. 

At that moment, Regulus finally began to comprehend the weight of the Auror's words.

The volley of spells from Voldemort had been rapid and cleanly executed and only his years of regularly avoiding bludgers allowed him to avoid the spellfire. Colours of spells began to blur together and the scent of smoke invaded his nose as he narrowly avoided a jet of blue flames. Regulus' heart pounded in his chest as he barely managed to block a curse that would have broken his spine and paralysed him for life and he swallowed thickly as a different curse flew over his shoulder to strike a wizard behind him. Terror flooded through Regulus as his muscles tensed in anticipation of the next curse. Regulus had always feared Voldemort, but there was no describing the utter panic of actually battling the dark wizard with only a wand. Years of knowledge could only prepare you so much. Although Regulus had studied and prepared for this day, facing Voldemort was not something one could truly ready themselves for. As Regulus righted himself after a vicious blow to his abdomen, he sent off a whispered yet powerful rotting curse that withered a wooden cart behind the monster. 

A bright flash of light soared from behind Regulus towards Voldemort, taking the two duelling wizards off guard for different reasons. Voldemort had clearly not anticipated anyone else to engage in such a reckless duel against Britain's current reigning dark lord and Regulus found himself stunned that anyone would be so stupid.

Other than himself, of course.

"Join the others, Regulus." Grandfather called over his shoulder as he strode forward to continued firing towards Voldemort to allow Regulus a chance to flee.

Regulus' jaw dropped at his grandfather's appearance and his blood boiled as he realised what all of those imploring and uncertain looks Sirius had given him meant. Those fuckers had _lied_ to him! They had clearly devised _another_ plan to ensure Regulus was not Voldemort's main target. A burst of anger overtook him, and he exploded the statue closest to Voldemort and sent the pieces soaring towards the monster with a swirl of his wand.

_"Regulus."_ Grandfather snapped in his most commanding tone. "Leave us, child."

Another person appeared by Regulus' left just as he deflected a soft pink spell that would have had his teeth rotting and falling out. Fleamont Potter made a jagged motion with his wand, sending off a spray of coloured mist that condensed into bright spheres that immediately latched onto Voldemort's ankles. Regulus could quite honestly say he had _no_ idea what the spell was supposed to do but it seemed to be irritating Voldemort if the snarl he let out when it made contact was any indication. 

"This was _not_ a part of the plan." Regulus hissed to himself. Regulus cursed as Arcturus sent a vicious flaying hex after three separate bone breakers, all of which Voldemort cleanly avoided or blocked. "Salazar." He grumbled as he narrowly avoided a stunner sent by a lower-level Death Eater that had stumbled closer, likely hoping to end Regulus and reap the rewards. There was no point trying to end the existence of someone so pitiful, Regulus decided, and simply snapped, _"Stupefy!"_ Regulus summoned the man's wand away from him and cleanly crushed it beneath his heel to ensure that if the prick woke up, he would be useless. Wandless magic could get you far, but Regulus had an inkling that the bumbling fool could barely manage a levitation spell even _with_ a wand.

Behind him, he heard the rest of the Death Eaters finally get the hint and follow their master's lead. At once, the sounds of various curses and shield spells clashed together as a few startled shrieks were heard. A hoarse cry of pain followed by Cassiopeia's mad cackling made his lip twitch as he sent a gouging spell at the ground beneath Voldemort's feet to try and distract him as he moved to join the thick of the battle. Regulus was not so prideful to try his hand at duelling Voldemort. Besides, there were so many other enemies at hand that he could _actually_ stand a chance against. 

Swiftly moving through the few that were already down, which sadly included a young boy from the Order that he knew had graduated the year his brother did, Regulus kept vigilant as he tried to move into a more opportune position. The more dangerous Death Eaters were already locked into battles and he was slightly proud of himself for thinking to inform their allies of the much more sadistic members of Voldemort's group. Regulus cringed as he passed his exhilarated Aunt who had just finished blowing a young witch's arms off and was working on burning what was left of her as she cried out for one of her allies to help her. Tough luck, but not his business. He pointedly turned away when Cassie began laughing maniacally and the rancid smell of burning flesh hit his sensitive nose.

Regulus sent a simple conjunctivitis curse at an ageing man - that Regulus recognised as a member of the Flint family - when he had stepped in front of Regulus with a wicked grin. The man hissed as the curse hit, stumbling back as his eyes became irritated and began to swell shut from the infection. With what little vision he had left, Flint sent a volley of well-aimed bludgeoning hexes that beat into Regulus' shoulder and he groaned at the pain. Refusing to back down, Regulus hit him in the knees with a dark hex that weakened the already age-worn bones into a brittle substance. With a vicious smirk, Regulus used a simple tripping jinx to send the man tumbling, the harsh impact grinding the chalk-like cartilage into powder. As the man cried out, Regulus finished him off with a powerful stunner that would have an old man like him out for at least a few hours which was more than enough time for someone to apprehend him.

Over the mass of cloaked figures, and through the haze of brightly coloured spells, he saw his boyfriend exchanging spells with a witch that had once been friends with Walburga and he giggled when Remus sent her flying backwards through the window of the apothecary. It was not the only shop that had been destroyed and Regulus winced at the sight of the few businesses that had already been blown up in the chaos. Regulus also noticed his two cousins both concentrating on two of the members of the Rosier family. Oddly, Ted Tonks and Lucius Malfoy were teaming up and stood back-to-back as they fought their respective foes. Regulus blinked, feeling slightly startled at the odd sight.

Right at the edge of the cross-section of the two streets, Regulus finally caught a glimpse of James. The boy was not too far from Remus and he grimaced as James barely managed to duck underneath a whip of scorching flames. Fascinated, Regulus watched as James put his transfiguration skills to good use and transfigured a nearby bench into a large lion that pounced on the nearest Death Eater. Even across the battlefield, Regulus did not miss the way James threw his shoulders back and squared-off into a fighting stance with the next enemy to cross his path. He had not yet seen his brother, but he had no doubts that Sirius looked just as fierce, if not more so. And Sirius would most certainly be using much more lethal spells.

After hastily dodging a stray strangulation hex, Regulus sent a flock of birds to attack the wizard that had tried to murder him. Regulus was surprised that the wizard had allowed himself to be hit and was now screeching as the birds began to peck and scratch at his eyes and face. 

"How pathetic!" Regulus heard his aunt cry as she saw the man shrieking and flailing. 

"Not everyone has your aim, Auntie!" Andromeda called, flipping her hair out of her face as she sent a man through a shop window just as Remus had. Regulus snickered as Narcissa broke the legs of the wizard's wife and sent her soaring through the air into the same shop her sister had. The two sisters smiled at each other and Regulus once again blinked at the strange sight.

Cassiopeia smirked at the compliment while summoning the shattered glass of a nearby broken window. The glass whirled through the air, spiralling, and twirling as it did so, the light reflecting from the little shards as it glinted dangerously. Unfazed, Cassiopeia froze the man that had attempted to attack Regulus and he dispelled the birds for her as she went about her business. Regulus had to turn away to produce a shield to protect Euphemia's back as she chased after a grimy-looking wizard. As Regulus glanced back at his aunt, his stomach rolled as he saw her forcing the shards of glass to fly down the man’s mouth and Regulus hurriedly turned away as the man choked on his own blood while she laughed.

Merlin, Regulus loved his aunt, but she was a sadistic bitch.

A few metres away, Regulus realised his boyfriend was now engaged with three different Death Eaters. Although they were not of any notable skill, he was still outnumbered three to one. Noticing this, Regulus wrapped a Black family shield around Remus as he sent off a burst of non-lethal but still agonising fire from his wand and willed the flames to focus on the two closest to him. The shield would hold as long as Regulus' love for Remus burned as bright as the flames he had conjured and his love for Remus had _never_ wavered. The two Death Eaters screeched in agony and Regulus allowed the flames to burn their skin lightly but stopped it from going any further. They would be in some pain for a while but with a few potions and salves, they would be good as new.

Well, as good as one _can_ be rotting in Azkaban.

Remus' eyes darted over the smoke as he took a step backwards from the fire before noticing the warm, pearlescent bubble wrapped around him, "Thanks, love!" He called. Regulus winked at him and moved further into the battle just as Remus knocked out the third Death Eater.

For once, Regulus was thankful for his small stature as many of the Death Eaters seemed to dismiss him entirely unless they caught a glimpse of his rather distinctive features. As he ducked and weaved through the battle, he engaged himself in various battles. Passing James, he did his packmate a favour by binding one of the Parkinson daughters from behind and let her flail around as she tried to dispel the ropes. James' eyebrows shot up as she went down before he met Regulus' eye to wink at him in gratitude. Regulus watched as he petrified the girl before turning and following after a different Death Eater.

It was a while yet before anything of note happened. Regulus had been locked into the haze of firing off spells only to then duck or block the responding curses from whoever he was battling. Many of them, Regulus recognised vaguely from familial traits or balls he had attended. There had even been a few that he had recognised from school and he had felt awful when battling one of the nicer Ravenclaw's from his Charms class. Regulus had known that many were susceptible to Voldemort's madness but seeing such a bright young man wearing Death Eater robes had made him nauseous. He knew from his own experience that it was possible that the other boy had been forced into service and had somewhat reluctantly stunned the boy instead of injuring him. Sirius would disapprove, he knew, but Regulus knew what kind of feelings Voldemort could instil in someone so young and susceptible to bad influences.

Many of the older Death Eaters deserved no mercy, he knew the sorts of things they got up to in raids, but Regulus knew there was hope for some. 

_Some,_ not all.

Just as not everyone deserved to die, but _some_ certainly did.

After a while of mindless battling, he sighed as he moved in the direction James had gone. His lips pulled downwards at the sight of one of the shops with a busted open door. The scent of blood hit him, and his stomach rolled as he frantically searched for any sign of James amongst those duelling nearby. Urgently, Regulus threw himself forward where he immediately noticed a hauntingly familiar body lying in the rubble of a broken open building.

With his heart in his throat, Regulus hurried into the little shop, glancing out of the broken window before ducking down to investigate. As he rounded the counter, Regulus' knees almost gave out as he saw the dead body of a young man that markedly resembled James from where his tanned face was pressed into the ground. Guiltily, Regulus breathed a sigh of relief as his mind took in the lack of glasses, the slightly shorter hair, and many muggle tattoos. It wasn't James. Still, he had been fighting on their side and Regulus exhaled dejectedly as he realised the deceased man was one of the few Aurors working with them.

Once the realisation of what he had just thought sunk in, Regulus could not help but frown. The man was an _Auror;_ Aurors did not fall easily. 

As Regulus moved closer, he grimaced as another body came into view. A pale hand splattered with blood just as the rest of her body was. Regulus sent a silent apology to the Abbott family for the loss of one of their daughters as he saw her frozen expression of fear. Regulus grimaced further as he saw the rest of her mangled torso and swallowed as the daunting truth struck him. Glancing back at the body of the young man he had mistaken for James, Regulus gagged at the torn open flesh and the obvious bite marks that he had overlooked in his haste to assure himself that the deceased man was not James.

_Werewolf attack,_ his mind supplied for him. Glancing around, Regulus' body stilled as he realised that there did not appear to be a slain werewolf lying around. Which must mean... the werewolf was still alive.

In his horror-struck realisation, Regulus was taken off guard as a large form suddenly slammed into him and he gasped as he was pressed against the ground by a hulking mass. Regulus swallowed at the sight of the beastly man, covered in a thick, coarse layer of hair and with his claws already extended. Regulus grimaced at the sight of the jagged teeth and yellowed eyes that he saw monthly only on a much softer and relaxed face. Although the man was not fully transformed, Regulus had heard of werewolves that were able to stay in a partial shift even when there was no threat around. 

"Beautiful." The werewolf purred in a raspy voice as he leaned down to nose at Regulus' jaw whose heart was gripped with fear as he realised the intentions of the werewolf above him. Attempting to grasp his wand, the wolf tutted and quickly pinned his wrists to the ground on either side of his head. "Heard Fenrir's pup got himself a toy but-" He growled happily, "Did'n realise you was so pretty." He leered. "Bet you taste good. Much better than 'im." He jerked his head in the direction of the dead Auror.

Regulus let out a whimper as the werewolf trailed a long claw down his throat. Desperately, he reached out for the bond and sent his panic coursing through the connection to his mate. They were not fully mated but that was of no consequence. They had both accepted the bond and that was all that had been needed to form a close connection between the two. 

"Don' worry, gorgeous." The werewolf grinned toothily as he licked his lips ravenously, "I'll only take a bite."

Knowing he would need to buy himself some time, and refusing to let this monster win, Regulus focused all his terror and rage inward. Thinking of the spell he wanted to cast, Regulus silently imagined the man letting go of his wrists with force and felt his breathing hitch as the silent revulsion jinx worked as perfectly as he had imagined. Remembering one of the lessons Remus had given him, he surged upwards to roughly connect the crown of his head with the man's nose. Regulus felt air rush into his lungs as the werewolf was thrown off balance from his well-aimed headbutt. The werewolf let out a pained grunt, flying backwards as Regulus kicked out again, aiming for the werewolf's crotch, and began scrambling for his wand.

"Fuckin' slut-" The man hissed, eyes a pale yellow that sent repugnance coursing through Regulus. The werewolf met him at an impressive speed despite the blood pouring from the split on his nose. With a well-placed hit, the werewolf struck him clean across his cheek, and Regulus only _barely_ managed to keep himself upright. His hit to the werewolf's nose must have been more accurate than he thought because there was less strength in the slap than he had anticipated. Regulus stumbled slightly as the werewolf bared down on him again. His mind was fuzzy, his panic and terror from what had almost happened had his hands shaking as he drew his wand and sent forth a nasty cutting hex that the werewolf dodged.

"Gonna 'ave to try better than that, love." The werewolf grinned to reveal a set of discoloured yet terrifyingly sharp teeth. The slurred, uncouth way he spoke and the perverse way he stared at Regulus' throat had the younger man trembling in place as he let a fierce bludgeoning hex fly from his wand. This time, the spell struck the werewolf right in his shoulder. If he were a regular human, Regulus knew that the force would have knocked him on his backside but instead the werewolf only stumbled slightly and ground his jaw in irritation.

The werewolf's lip curled as he took a step closer, "Be a good bitch." The man threatened as he looked down on Regulus, "Or I'll-"

A body suddenly appeared between them with a soft growl, effectively cutting off whatever disgusting thing the beast was going to say. Regulus turned to the side as a pair of hands pulled him away from the action and he gasped at the sickening crack that echoed through the small building. Whirling around despite the insistent hands trying to pull him further away, Regulus gaped as he saw the werewolf falling to the ground, neck bent at an unnatural angle. The werewolf's pale-yellow eyes were still wide open, and he could not stop the gasp that wrenched out of him as he saw Remus stood above the fresh corpse.

"Regulus." James' incessant voice met his ears. "Breathe, Reg."

Regulus desperately inhaled as he slumped against James. Tears stung at his eyes and Regulus lurched forward just as his boyfriend moved away from the man he had just murdered and pulled Regulus into his chest. "I'm sorry." Remus whispered into his ear, "I'm so sorry. I should have gotten here sooner but that twat Crabbe decided to get in the way and if James hadn't also felt you calling for us and sought me out, I don't even know if I'd have been able to get here in ti-"

"No, no. Moony, slow down." Regulus adamantly shook his head. His hands were trembling, and Regulus felt in need of a shower, but he could still hear the desperate screaming from outside. There was work to be done. _"No._ You did what you had to do. He- You got here before he could-" He cut himself off with a sob and buried his face in Remus' neck. He took a moment to try to block out the sounds of the battle outside. The screaming and yelling blurred together and his heart ached as he realised the fight was nowhere _near_ over yet. It had barely even _begun,_ and he had already almost met a grisly end. Forcing himself not to cry, Regulus pulled away from his boyfriend and pressed a desperate kiss to his damp cheek.

"I'm sorry, Regulus." James whispered, eyes shining as he glanced at the dead body and back to him. 

Regulus shook his head and squeezed his wand in his hand, "I'm fine." He said stubbornly, clenching his jaw as he wiped at his eyes.

Remus and James shared a mournful look, a terrible understanding passing between them that although they did not want to, they would have to push this conversation for a later date. It simply was not the correct time and it certainly was not the place for it either. Not while so many people were still outside fighting for their lives. James patted him gently on the shoulder and Remus gave him a lasting kiss to his forehead as they moved towards the broken door. 

"Love you." Regulus murmured as they crouched and slipped from the wreckage, "Both." He affirmed.

"Aw, love you too, Reggie." James said with a roguish grin on his face that slipped as he saw a witch almost curse his mother. "Got to go." He hissed, wand already firing off spells as he threw himself back into the battle.

"I love you." Remus whispered, giving him a final look. "Call me if you need me. I swear to you, I'll come no matter what."

"Right back at you, Lupin." Regulus said fiercely. Scanning the battle, his eyes locked onto the opposite side of the market where his brother was locked in a duel with _both_ Lestrange brothers. Regulus' jaw dropped and he sent an urgent look to Remus who nodded at him to go, amber eyes already searching for his next opponent. Regulus had been wondering where his brother was, and he was relieved to realise Sirius was not dead. Although, being stuck battling Bellatrix's husband and brother-in-law was not exactly an enviable position.

Regulus squared his shoulders as he strode forward to help his brother, ducking and dodging where necessary and sending a particularly strong confundus charm at Alecto Carrow as she tried to intercept him. Regulus knew his brother was one of the best duellists of their age - but that did not mean he wouldn't still help him out. The Lestrange brothers were not quite at Bellatrix's level, but they worked well together, and they would have absolutely _no_ qualms about killing Sirius. Therefore, Regulus knew it was safest to aide his brother.

\---

From the moment Peter had appeared, a harrowing feeling had overtaken Sirius. It had been surreal to watch as his old friend appeared beside his brother, seemingly wishing to strike up an innocent conversation. Foreboding had consumed him when he saw Regulus reach for his wand and Peter's face twist into an ugly snarl before lifting his sleeve, his _left_ sleeve, and Sirius had gone completely numb with shock. Sirius had watched as Peter glared hatefully at his little brother, the expression melting into a smirk right as _Voldemort_ appeared. Shortly after, Sirius had caught sight of his deranged cousin and had been distracted by making sure she did not try for a cheap shot at his little brother and he regretted those few seconds he had taken his eye off Peter as the boy disappeared almost instantly.

After his brain had made the connection and the shock wore off, fury had coursed through him and fuelled his desire for vengeance as the market was suddenly plunged into madness. The first wizard to engage him in a fight had been a man roughly the same age as his uncle. Sirius had not wasted a second and had dealt with the man in roughly half a minute. Betrayal had him shaking and desperate for an outlet and he laughed at the terror on his new enemy's face when the older man saw Cassiopeia decapitate a witch without even looking at her.

Sirius barely felt the time pass. The instant one Death Eater fell, he moved to find another to duel. He danced around the battlefield without a hint of mercy for any of his foes. There was no etiquette or pleasantries to be observed and Sirius was slightly worried by how much he was truly enjoying this senseless killing. Every Death Eater he came across was given no chance for rehabilitation as he cut them down or injured them gravely only to walk away as they bled out. Sirius cursed himself as he thought back to who Peter had once been and his eyes stung as he fought back the urge to break into regretful sobs. 

_How could he do it?_

Sirius bit his tongue painfully as he sent a flaying curse at a nearby witch, moving away when she fell to the ground screaming. There was no point asking questions. Sirius had recognised Peter's eagerness to please the Marauders for years and he had always thought it slightly pathetic yet altogether harmless. When Regulus had first pointed out Peter's lack of real faith in them, he had not wanted to believe it. Even after Peter had become a sour person to be around and had insulted his brother, Sirius had never truly thought him capable of such a thing.

His heart clenched as he thought of the doughy blond boy Sirius had met at age eleven. The young boy with bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a well of untapped potential; Peter could have achieved so much and gone on to be a fantastic young man and yet he had somehow become a Death Eater. Sirius' eyes stung as he thought back to the countless hours spent attempting their first shift for their animagus forms and the following nights spent laughing at each other's failures in an abandoned classroom. Sirius could remember the young boy that had helped Remus design a banner for his and James' first Quidditch match and how happy he had been for them while he waved the homemade sign and cheered them on. Sirius' lungs burned with the need to cry as he thought of the times before the war had struck them - when they had been innocent young lads running about a castle with too much imagination and a thirst for good-natured chaos.

_How could he do it?_

"The Death Eaters, Peter?" He whispered to himself as he sent a wizard flying backwards into a pillar, _"Voldemort?"_ Sirius questioned. How in the _world_ had Peter Pettigrew managed to fall in with Voldemort's crowd? How did he even know who to approach? Had he sought out one of the purebloods at the Ministry or had he been the one to be sought out by them? Were they threatening him? Was he doing this willingly? If not, did he really believe in all the pureblood rhetoric Voldemort spouted, or had his friends from Divination truly been such a bad influence on him?

Sirius froze as he saw Mulciber and one of the young girls from the Order duelling together. Peter's divination friends... surely...

_No,_ Sirius told himself forcefully. There was no way Peter had been lying even back then. Sirius would have noticed. He would have. They were friends, they ate together, went to classes together... Merlin, they even slept in the same room! Surely, Sirius would have noticed if that were true? But then, _how_ had Peter fallen under Voldemort's spell? 

Unfortunately, just as Sirius moved to help, the girl Mulciber had been duelling cried out as the wizard managed to slice the delicate skin of her throat and he grimaced as he saw the blood spraying at a rate far too quickly for him to be able to save her. 

"Black!" The other wizard cried as he noticed him approaching and wasted no time yelling, _"Depulso!"_

With a roll of his eyes, Sirius avoided the spell and returned it with a sharp downward slash and a cry of, " _Flipendo Tria!_ " Sirius grinned as the swirling spell flung Mulciber backward, knocking him into another Death Eater which Sirius quickly knocked out with a simple stunner followed by a body-bind. There really was no need to tire himself out needlessly, he would save the more interesting spells for the bigger threats - of which, Mulciber certainly was _not._ Sirius knew the Slytherin was well versed in Dark Magic, but that really didn't mean a thing if you had poor aim and a lack of power backing your spells. Sirius had duelled the prick enough times in the halls of Hogwarts to know that.

"Ah-ha!" He heard Cassiopeia cry out over the cacophony of sounds and Sirius snorted. Sirius did not have any idea about what she was doing, but she sounded like she was having a lot of fun doing whatever it was. Faintly, Sirius was aware of a strange tugging in his chest. It was so faint that he barely missed it, and something told him he should have recognised the feeling, but his head was too focused on the battle. A flash of a putrid yellow spell from one of the Lestrange's soared towards him and he scowled as he conjured a slab of stone to absorb it. _Prick,_ Sirius thought, _I was trying to concentrate_.

Understanding that he had no time, Sirius quickly blocked the following attempt to knock him to his knees and gave Rodolphus a charming grin. "Oh, Roddy!" Sirius gasped as he fired off a silent bone-breaking hex that Lestrange only barely managed to avoid. _Shame,_ Sirius would have liked to see him try to duel with a broken kneecap. "And here I thought you loved me!" He teased.

"Shut it, _Black."_ Rodolphus spat as if his name was something rotten and filthy, _"Crucio!"_

"Not very original there, eh Roddy?" Sirius cackled as he silently sent _Lacarnum Inflamari._ Rodolphus' black cloak was instantly ignited, the orange and red flames burning his skin as Lestrange hastily tried to put out the flames. As Sirius had expected, Lestrange managed to end the spell fairly quickly and as if sensing his struggle, Lestrange's younger brother sidled up beside him. Sirius' eyes narrowed at the two brothers, mind much more battle-focused, as he cried, _"Lacero!"_

Rodolphus hissed as the spell sliced into his cheek to emit a spray of red, "Fuck!" He hissed.

Sirius grinned to himself as he continued to duel the two brothers. Of the two, Rodolphus was clearly much more experienced. Sirius could recognise the training he had endured during his time in Voldemort's service reflected in his casting. His aim was superior to his brother's, as was his speed, yet the older Lestrange was clearly less imaginative than his brother. Rodolphus' spell repertoire proved that he was used to sending spells flying with the intent to simply kill and it must have been a while since he had needed to actually _duel_ someone of equal - or _greater_ \- skill. Likely, because the Aurors were too busy running in circles and the Order rarely confronted the Death Eaters. Oh well, Sirius would happily end his lucky streak today.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Regulus appeared by his side with a simple, "Struggling, Padfoot?" Sirius' eyes darted to his little brother, instantly recognising the shakiness in his voice but dismissed it. This was a battle; Regulus had likely had to do awful things to survive and he was unimaginably grateful for it. Even if he was a little battered and covered in grime, Regulus was still alive, and that was all that mattered.

"As _if!"_ Sirius laughed, "Ol' Roddy's useless with his wand. No wonder Bella's been drooling over Voldemort for years!" He grinned at Regulus who snorted although it seemed slightly forced. Sirius only hoped that whatever was nagging at Regulus did not cause too much of a distraction for him; Sirius knew how deadly even a moment of hesitation could be, and Sirius did not know what he would do if he lost Regulus.

Probably unleash Fiendfyre on the whole battlefield.

_At least Voldemort would certainly die_ , Sirius thought to himself, _along with everyone else_ , his very unwelcome conscience added grimly.

_"Crucio!"_ Rodolphus spat, this time aiming towards Regulus whilst Rabastan hurtled a flash of bright white light towards him who scornfully blocked it with a simple shield spell. Merlin, did the older Lestrange not know any other spells? Sirius was pleased when Regulus easily avoided Rodolphus' attempt at torturing him and sent a high-powered stinging jinx at Rabastan's face in retaliation for trying to hurt his brother. Meanwhile, Regulus managed to nail the other Lestrange with a jinx that had him resembling a sea urchin with tiny, painful spikes erupting across his skin. 

Sirius's eyes narrowed as Rabastan tried to counter his attack with a nasty spell that would have shattered his femur and raised an eyebrow at the younger Lestrange as he completely disregarded the red welts appearing across his face from Sirius' stinging jinx. Rodolphus' spells were certainly more powerful, but Sirius was much more engaged with his battle against the younger Lestrange purely because of his much more _interesting_ spells. With a slight smirk of amusement, Sirius sent a flurry of different spells designed to distract Rabastan before whispering, _"Melofors!"_ The pumpkin that now encased Rabastan's head sent a shockwave of laughter through Sirius and he laughed harder as Regulus decided to keep with the vegetable theme and caused leeks to sprout from Rodolphus' ears and nose.

From somewhere behind them, Sirius heard a grunt of pain before Cassie cried, "Alphard!" Momentarily thrown, Sirius missed as Rodolphus angrily hit Regulus with a soft brown spell that had Regulus gasping as rough scrapes bloomed across his knuckles. Sirius froze at the sight of his brother's blood dripping down his fingers as he kept the older Lestrange occupied with an exchange of spells while Rabastan tried to remove the pumpkin from his head.

His aunt crying out for Alphard, seeing his little brother hurt and still reeling over the revelation that _Wormtail was a fucking Death Eater_ all rolled together to send a wave of burning hot fury through Sirius. Without thinking, Sirius levelled his wand at the building behind Lestrange and cried, _"Bombarda Maxima!"_ As the ash cleared, and the raining debris absorbed their attention, Sirius reached a hand out towards his brother to pull him backwards and roared, _"Oppugno!"_

The jagged stone flew towards the younger Lestrange, breaking open the pumpkin and repeatedly pounding into his face as he fruitlessly tried to wave his wand. His little brother quickly disarmed Rabastan and he fell backwards with a strained grunt of pain which prompted Rodolphus to let out a scream of rage as he began blindly firing his wand in their direction. Sirius hissed as a stray jinx had his legs feeling weak and he resisted the urge to let them crumble as he hastily dispelled the jinx. So Lestrange _did_ know more than just three spells, good to know.

Regulus was much swifter than him and had managed to avoid being hit by anything while directing a gouging spell at the section of ground Lestrange was standing on, "Hope you can fly, Lestrange." His brother snarked before sending the stone soaring upwards with a sharp flick of his wand. Sirius' eyes widened as Lestrange was launched at least fifteen metres into the air before hitting the ground with a wet thump. Glancing down at the flattened face of Rabastan Lestrange before looking back at the crumpled corpse of his brother, Sirius snorted.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Reggie." He admitted breathlessly at the ache he could feel in his side.

Regulus glared at him, raising his wand at his torso, and muttering a healing charm. Sirius blinked as the ache faded and he was shocked to see the fabric of his shirt had been torn open by a nasty cutting hex. "Idiot."

"Oops." Sirius winced as Regulus wrapped the area tightly with a bandage. "You been taking lessons from Evans?"

"Shut up." Regulus snapped and Sirius frowned as he noticed how truly shaken his brother looked. "You could have bled out! Why must you always antagonise people?" He hissed angrily.

Sirius patted his brother's shoulder gently, moving forward to use a simple charm to reduce the swelling on his injured knuckles and strangely swollen cheek. "It's war, Reg. Pissing them off really won't make that much of a difference."

"Not if it leaves you distracted!" Regulus ground his jaw, "Fool." He muttered before dragging Sirius out of the way of a yellow spell that he had not seen coming. Sirius whirled around and stunned the young female Death Eater that had just tried to curse him from behind and blinked at how easily she fell. Must have been new.

"We work well together, ickle brother." Sirius grinned.

"Not the time!" Regulus cried as he dodged a pink spell from the female Carrow sister, "Have I not dealt with you already?" He asked bemusedly before they both sent two stunners directly to her chest at the same time. Once she was down, Sirius and Regulus exchanged a much more serious look, they had a war to win.

As they moved across the cobblestone street Sirius noticed a trend throughout the market-turned-battlefield. Thankfully, many of the figures on the ground were cloaked in black Death Eater robes and he was glad that only a few from their side seemed to have fallen. Sirius ducked under a stray spell from Dorea who was ferociously battling with her husband against three of the older Death Eaters at once; he was not surprised to see that although his aunt was sending spells that could get one sent to Azkaban, her husband was sticking to the much more legal spells.

In fact, of the downed Death Eaters he was pretty sure only the ones that had been unlucky enough to battle a _Black_ had died. Sirius knew that a stunner could work just as well as the killing curse but the fact that the Death Eaters were all largely horrible people lessened any guilt he may have felt. He emphasised this by aiming a particularly dark cutting hex at a Death Eater that had almost just killed his uncle Alphard whom Sirius was glad to see was alive for the time being. Although, the way he was avoiding putting too much pressure on his left leg worried him and he could only hope that Alphard would live through the battle.

Just as he began trying to locate his friends, a guttural scream of rage met his ears. The kind of desperate cry that sent chills down your spine and had the hair on the back of your neck prickling. "No!" He heard a female voice sob, "Cissa!" The pain and terror in her voice had Sirius' head spinning as he fought down the urge to seek out his cousin.

"Oh..." Regulus breathed as he and Sirius ducked behind a large section of clustered bricks that had fallen across the street at some point during the fight. Sirius frowned and followed Regulus' line of sight to see what had him so spooked. A gasp ripped out of him as he saw Andromeda and Lucius engaged with Amycus Carrow as well as an older witch and wizard - Lord and Lady Carrow. Sirius searched out his other cousin and gasped as he saw Ted Tonks slowly pulling a heavily injured Narcissa away from the fight and into a building behind them. A large stain of red trailed after her body as Ted tried to save his sister-in-law's life and Sirius had to look away to keep himself from gagging at the sight of his cousin so gravely injured.

"How _dare_ you!" Andromeda cried and Sirius was unsurprised to see angry tears on her cheeks. _"Crucio!"_ She spat at the youngest Carrow. Lucius Malfoy was a few metres away, battling the two older Carrows and he silently commended him on keeping the two occupied while Andromeda avenged her sister.

"Siri-" Regulus gasped, tears sparkling in his eyes. _"Cissa."_ He choked.

"No time, puppy." Sirius murmured as he broke the knees of a female Death Eater sneaking up on them and bound her to a pillar. He hated being so careless with his brother's feelings but there simply was _no time_. "We have to-" He cut himself off suddenly as he felt a familiar tugging in his chest but somewhat fainter this time. Sirius frowned at the familiar feeling and pressed a palm to his chest. "Bloody thing." He muttered irritatedly.

Beside him, Regulus shot to his feet and immediately began bounding away in a completely straight line. Sirius gaped for a moment before hurrying after his brother feeling completely bemused. The two blindly sent off spells to any darkly dressed figure that tried to get in their way as they followed the pull to an unknown location. As Regulus confunded a Death Eater, Sirius followed his brother's lead and knocked the man to the ground with a high-powered tripping jinx. Sirius sent a silent apology towards his cousin for leaving her, however, he had faith in Andromeda's ability to protect her sister while she was down. Sirius knew first-hand the type of anger that would be fuelling Andromeda. He had certainly seen the panic set into the youngest Carrow's eyes as he realised, he would be meeting his end at the end of a furious witch's wand.

\---

When Regulus had felt a heart-stopping pull from his boyfriend through their bond, he had not wasted a second in breaking into a determined stride to seek him out. Regulus sprinted across the stone ground, jumping over debris and countless bodies as he did so. The desperate tug had his heart pounding and he wondered if Remus had felt anything similar when Regulus had been begging for his help when the other werewolf attacked him.

As Regulus followed the pull, he whirled around the corner of the street they were on and immediately gasped at the sight of Rowle, Snape, and Bellatrix all locked in separate battles with their friends. Bellatrix was engaged with Cassiopeia, the two witches perfectly matching each other spell for spell whilst Rowle was slowly being backed into a corner by Lily and Dorcas. Regulus searched for Marlene and found her laid out on the ground beside a ginger boy that he faintly recognised. He was not sure if they were dead or alive; at this point, Regulus was not sure he wanted to find out.

However, what really caught his attention was Remus and James who were battling Snape and _Peter Pettigrew._

"Oh fuck." Sirius breathed as he rounded the corner, "Oh _fuck_ him." He spat before running past Regulus with a roar of, _"Wormtail!"_

Regulus snapped out of his stupor and knocked a Death Eater away from his rather occupied brother before hurrying after him. Regulus continued to distract the Death Eaters around them that were attempting to stop Sirius from intervening and even managed to fling one of the idiots in Bellatrix's direction which managed to confuse her enough that Cassie was able to burn off a large chunk of her hair and scorch the side of her face.

"You're supposed to be our friend!" Regulus heard James cry angrily as he finally approached the group. "How could you do this to us, Wormtail?"

"Fuck you!" Peter snapped, sending a cutting spell at James' chest which he avoided with a look of astonishment on his face. Utter shock and betrayal were reflected on all of the Marauder's faces although they expressed it differently. There was no other way to describe James' expression than downright hurt and Regulus' heart ached for the most sensitive member of his pack. Remus had put his training with Cassie to good use and masked his pain with determination while his brother looked simply furious. Regulus took a moment to be thankful that his pack was largely unharmed; there was a smattering of bruises across James' face and a rather deep cut on Remus' forehead, but he knew how sturdy his boyfriend was. They had clearly done well so far to remain so uninjured and he only hoped their luck would continue.

"I hope you rot in the deepest pits of _Tartarus!"_ Sirius roared, "Filthy, stinking rat, I should have known!" He bellowed, severing the lobe of Peter's left ear which had the boy gaping. Snape's eyes flashed at the sight of Sirius and his fury at the Marauders all being present was reflected in the nastiness of his spells. 

"How could you do it, Wormtail?" Remus begged as he blocked another one of the curses Snape aimed at him that would have boiled his liver. "If they're threatening you, we can help-"

"I don't need your _help!_ I don't need your _pity!"_ Peter hissed as he sent a flaying curse towards Sirius who batted it aside easily with a look of contempt on his face. 

"The Death Eaters, Wormtail? How much more _pathetic_ could you get?" Sirius accused snidely.

"It was the only way! The Dark Lord will destroy you all! What would be gained by denying the inevitable?" Peter cried.

Sirius hissed hatefully and Regulus had to conjure a shield for his brother as he was too focused on trying to hurt the two young men to notice Peter's attempt at breaking his shoulder. "How many innocent muggles have you murdered in his name, huh? How many muggleborns have you tortured?" Sirius yelled. "How many innocent little kids have you killed you piece of scum?" 

Peter snarled as he sent a bludgeoning hex towards Regulus who let the curse rebound off his shield towards Snape. "It was the only way to survive and it's not like any of you pricks care about me anyway!"

"You don't have to become a murderer to survive!" Sirius bellowed.

"That's not true!" James insisted with creased brows. "We loved you! You were our brother!" He said despairingly with glistening hazel eyes.

"Some _brother."_ Peter spats derisively. "You all abandoned me the moment that little tramp batted his eyelashes at Remus!"

With a scoff, Regulus snapped. "Oh, do be quiet Pettigrew. _Reducto!"_ He cried, reducing the bricks behind the two Death Eaters to ash before calling, _"Ventus!"_ He watched in satisfaction as the powdered brick was whirled into a small tornado, the spirals of wind soaring towards the target's faces and causing them both to cry out as the fine ash covered their eyes and irritated the sensitive areas on the face. Pettigrew began spluttering as he inhaled and subsequently choked on the ash.

James quickly transfigured the earth around their feet, creating a thick block of stone that locked both of their legs in place. As the wind spell died out, Snape raised his wand towards James and roared, _"Sectumsempra!"_

_"Oscausi!"_ Remus bellowed at Snape, only - it was too late. The two curved jets of light raced towards James and Regulus' heart surged into his throat as the boy's tanned arm was shredded. Although he had not managed to completely dodge the spell, James had at least missed the brunt of it and Regulus expelled a sigh of relief as he began healing the skin. At least, Regulus _tried_ to heal the wound, but the blood just kept flowing and his eyes narrowed as the cut continued to ignore his attempts at healing it. Regulus pressed a hand to James' arm to staunch the flow of blood and turned back to the others. 

James had been covering his back as Regulus tried to heal him and he swallowed at the sight of Snape with a thick layer of pale skin replacing where his mouth had once been. Regulus remembered just how well Remus had studied the Dark Arts books he had shown him and was proud of his boyfriend for using the spell so well on what _must_ have been his first try. Thinking back to those dark tomes, Regulus began trying some much more questionable healing spells and cursed himself for not having thought to bring potions. Logically, he knew there would not have been anywhere to store them, but that did not stop him from feeling angry with himself.

With a fierce cry, likely realising that this was to be his last stand, Pettigrew managed to yell, " _Avada Kedavra_!" 

As he had been keeping his focus on James' arm - that was _still_ bleeding - Regulus had not realised the spell was aimed at _him_ until Remus tackled him out of the way of the viridescent spell. Regulus gasped as he lost his grip on James' arm that had only just begun to respond to one of his spells; the flow of blood had stopped at least, although the skin hadn't begun stitching itself back together as it should have. Regulus frowned as he realised the spell must have been a creation of Snape's as he would certainly remember reading about such a dark spell.

Regulus rolled away from his boyfriend and quickly jumped to his feet just in time to see his brother surge forward and slash his wand with a hiss of, _"Avada Kedavra!"_ James gasped as the acidic green spell flew from Sirius' wand and struck Peter Pettigrew directly in his chest. Regulus' mouth dropped open as the boy's face froze and his lifeless body hit the ground with a soft thump.

Silently, Regulus gaped for a second before Snape's sudden movement snapped him back into focus. Snape was unable to cast verbally thanks to Remus' spell, but a talented enough wizard could still cast non-verbally and as much as he loathed to admit it, Snape was clearly very talented. The bricks that were sent pelting towards James' head proved that.

However, Sirius did not so much as flinch.

There was a deadly look on his face that somewhat terrified Regulus. His jaw was squared, and his mouth was completely straight, the strands of his long hair hanging in his face as his cold grey eyes blocked Snape's attempts at stunning him. Regulus would not dare to say it aloud, but at that moment, Sirius looked an awful lot like Walburga Black at the peak of one of her notorious wrathful outbursts. The look of unbridled anger had Regulus' heart fluttering and he looked around anxiously for any Aurors. He had no idea what Sirius was about to do, but he knew that look from many nights trapped underneath the point of Walburga’s wand. Sirius' ire would not be quenched until he drained the insanity from his system and there was no quicker way to achieve that than to take it out on your long-time enemy.

_"Mutatio Skullus."_ Sirius intoned calmly, the grey charm hitting Snape in the centre of his forehead. Regulus braced himself for the inevitably painful effects and grimaced as Snape's skull began to mutate to form more heads. Thick bands of bone slowly broke through his skull, pressing down painfully on the soft tissues of his brain. Immediately, Snape began to scream in unimaginable agony as more heads and jagged bones began to push their way through his skull. Regulus looked away as trickles of blood began to flow from the split-open skin and grabbed James' arm instead to occupy himself.

Regulus continued applying as many charms as he could think of. "I don't understand." He murmured.

"What?" Remus asked with a wince as Snape's screaming began to lessen and Regulus pointedly refused to wonder why that could be. 

"The- The bleeding. The wound." Regulus' brows furrowed. "It's that spell. What was the incantation? Sec- Sect something." He frowned.

James - who had just stunned a Death Eater over his shoulder - tilted his head, "Sectumsempra?" Regulus frowned at him for remembering it so well and James must have understood his expression by the way he shrugged and casually responded. "Snape's used it on me before. It wasn't as powerful though. I think it was when he was still testing it out - hadn't quite perfected it. Bled a lot, but Pomfrey fixed me right up."

"What?" Sirius asked as he came closer, dismissing the two dead bodies behind him. Regulus and Remus shared a look as James uncertainly recounted what they had been talking about. None of them brought up Sirius' sudden thirst for blood - another conversation put on hold for _later._ "Oh, yeah. At the willow, right?"

"When?" Regulus questioned.

Remus' expression cleared as he blocked a piece of stone that had been soaring towards them. "Oh. The day Snape and Lily argued, and he called her um, _that_ word." Regulus' eyes lit up in realisation and he hummed before expelling a sharp breath. The wound had somewhat responded to his rapid casting but nowhere near as well as it should have. Footsteps hurriedly approached them, and he glanced up to see Lily with a curiously blank look on her face.

"It won't work." Lily said with pursed lips as she surveyed the wound. "That's one of- of _his_ creations." She said, refusing to look at the dead body that was once a long-time friend of hers. Lily carefully took her boyfriend's arm in hand and began to chime musically and rhythmically, _"Vulnera Sanentur."_ Lily waved her wand over the wound intricately, tracing the tip of her wand over the gouge in James' arm with a look of focus on her ashen face.

Regulus made sure to take note of both the spell and the way Lily was healing the wound. "How did you..." He trailed off.

She gave him a sad smile, "We were friends... _once."_ She said pointedly. 

"I know what that's like." James muttered, glaring down at Peter's dead body before turning away with a growl. "I can't believe he- he-"

"There's no time." Lily said as she straightened. "We can mourn the people they used to be later."

"But-" James hissed, eyes filled with angry tears. "He was supposed to be our _friend._ How _could_ he?"

"Because he's a spineless git and he can rot in hell for all I care. Let him be with all of the muggles he murdered in the name of that psychopath." Sirius said nastily, "That piece of shit would have killed all of us without a second thought. He was _not_ our friend." He snapped harshly with a furious finality.

James only blinked before sighing and turning away. "Let's go." James mumbled tersely, squaring his shoulders as he moved away from the fallen form of their old friend and long-term enemy. How ironic that Peter and Snape had ended up on the same side after all those years of being against each other. 

Regulus patted his boyfriend on the arm and followed James. It was only then that Regulus noticed how much quieter Carkitt Market had become and he glanced around at the seemingly endless bodies with a sad sigh. Dorcas was hunched over Marlene who was thankfully waking up with a confused look on her face. Regretfully, the red-haired boy beside her stay motionless, and when Dorcas met his eye, she shook her head sadly. 

"It's Gideon." Lily murmured as she caught him looking. "His brother's run off on a rampage. He's the one that killed Rowle after he-" She cut herself off, but Regulus understood her plain as day. Regulus shared a look with his brother who clenched his jaw and averted his gaze. Many were laid out or crumpled into heaps and Regulus realised that the place Ted had taken Narcissa must have been a makeshift infirmary. Realising that the ones left on the ground were all certainly dead then, he grimaced as he saw Harfang Longbottom and his aunt Lucretia among the dead. There were a few Greengrasses that he recognised as well as one of the elder Bones'. Their side had certainly taken some hits, but the numbers were clear just from looking around: The Death Eaters were losing.

Instead of the many battles that had taken up much of the market square, only a few scattered duels remained. He could still see Voldemort flinging curses left and right and he was relieved that both his grandfather and Fleamont were alive still. Honestly, Regulus was partially surprised they had lasted so long against the wizard, but he was aware of just how powerful they were. Close to the three wizards, stood Euphemia who was fiercely battling with Lady Selwyn. Regulus turned back to the sounds of spells clashing and was unsurprised that of the few left standing, his aunt and his once-cousin were two of them.

Cassiopeia shrieked as she blew up a snake Bellatrix had conjured and sent her way, "I taught you everything you know, little witch! You'll never beat me!" She cackled, pulling out a dagger from her belt and launching it at Bellatrix's chest who stumbled back as she barely deflected the knife. Regulus was momentarily entranced by their duel and was not surprised that neither of the witches was pulling any punches. Bellatrix responded to Cassie's knife with a ring of icy blue flames which Cassie blocked before using one of her own creations that hissed and bubbled as it ate at Bellatrix's shoes. The surrounding concrete began to melt as the strange, furry little beast Cassie had conjured dissolved into a thick paste. Only Bellatrix's quick movements and brutal use of a liver boiling hex were able to distract Cassie enough from ending her then and there. "Still using _my_ tricks, I see!"

"Useless old wench!" Bellatrix snarled, _"Crucio!"_

"No imagination! You've forgotten your teachings, girl." Cassiopeia scolded, _"Ignium Sanguinaris!"_ She made a wicked jab with her wand as the ethereal, purple orb soared towards Bellatrix, "That's how it's done!" She said as Bellatrix gasped and barely avoided the deadly curse.

"You could have killed me!" She seethed, referring to Cassie's use of a curse that would have replaced a portion of Bellatrix's blood with a flesh-eating acid. Regulus was not the least bit surprised that Cassiopeia had used such a spell and if the rotting, mangled form of one of the Goyle sons a few feet away was any indication, she had used the spell successfully already today.

"A shame I missed. I won't make that mistake again, little chick!" Cassie hissed, _"Pussula!"_ She slashed her wand in an arc of putrid yellow that had Bella shrieking as she hurtled a spell at Cassie that would have filled her intestines with rocks.

"Godric." James breathed, "Look who finally showed up." He said, nodding in the direction of Fenrir Greyback. The werewolf swiped out at a nearby wizard and pulled one of the girls Lily was friends with close to him, gripping her tightly by her blonde hair only to rip out a chunk out of her throat with his teeth. Blood coated his lips as the girl gurgled and choked causing more blood to flow weakly from the bite in her throat. Regulus felt sick to his stomach as Greyback chewed the flesh for a moment before grinning victoriously over at them. 

"Mary!" Lily cried as she stumbled over in her haste to reach her friend. James quickly wrapped an arm around her waist as Greyback tore the girl's head off with a rough motion that poor Mary most certainly felt if the weak screaming was any indication. "No!" Lily sobbed, a hand coming up to her mouth as she leaned against James in despair. "You _monster!_ I'll kill you!"

"No." Remus held her back, a fury igniting his amber eyes and causing them to glow slightly. "Let me." He said tightly.

Regulus let out a cry as he dragged his boyfriend closer to him. "You had _better_ survive, Lupin." He hissed, throwing himself into his arms to leave a lasting kiss on his chapped lips. Regulus never wanted his boyfriend to have to battle Greyback, but he knew better than to try and stop him. This was something Remus must have been preparing himself for and he was happy to let his boyfriend do what he felt he needed to do to finally move on. Besides, Greyback was one of the foulest Death Eaters that bore a Mark, and Regulus knew his death would only be good for the general population.

"You and me, love. To the very end." Remus whispered against Regulus' lips, pecking them once more before turning on one foot and chasing after Greyback with a guttural growl. Regulus watched him go with a sinking feeling in his chest as he glanced out at the few duels which had halved in since the last time he looked. His heart pounded as he tried to find a familiar face and he turned back to his nearby family with a desperate look on his face.

In his distraction, Sirius had joined their aunt in her attack on Bellatrix and seemed to be handling himself very well. Similarly, James and Lily had moved off to fight against Karkaroff and Rookwood respectively. The two Death Eaters were both fairly respected members of the Inner Circle but Regulus was confident that James and Lily would be able to handle them. Regulus inhaled as he turned away from the three of them. His brother and aunt would certainly be able to match Bellatrix and Regulus knew where he needed to be.

Without a second thought, Regulus moved through the battle with a pulsing need to reach his grandfather, sending off a variety of spells to any Death Eater that tried to slow him down. No longer was he going to hide. Regulus knew Voldemort needed to be dealt with and hopefully, his appearance would take him off guard enough that someone else would be able to nail him with a killing curse.

Or maybe, just maybe, Regulus would be given the chance to end this once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised a fairly speedy update and here we are! Ah, the battle commenceth! I hope you all enjoyed this - there's one more section of the fight to come! Also - we finally unlocked a much darker Sirius, how very fun!
> 
> This was such a headache to write and I've been very stressed over trying to get this right.. I hope the scene flowed well - sigh. Truly, I've shed more tears over chapters 41-43 than any chapters I've written thus far but I'm finally happy enough with it to post it.
> 
> I very much hope you all enjoyed it! I'm terribly sorry about the wait - I was trying very hard to make this entertaining. 
> 
> [I also had a look at some of my older chapters and it's very interesting to see how my writing has changed/developed in such a short amount of time!!]


	43. The Little King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus battles the monster from his nightmares, Sirius and Bellatrix finally cross wands and Regulus faces Voldemort for what is hopefully the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: Murder, Gore, Actual Threats of Sexual Assault (it's Greyback, he's gross!), Blood, Derogatory Language

Remus' lip curled as he saw the vile _beast_ that had turned him appear on the battlefield. Fenrir Greyback was a disgrace to all of wizard-kind and he understood why so many wix acted so disparagingly towards werewolves. _This_ was the sort of werewolf most thought of when his kind was the topic of discussion. Coarse hair covered Greyback's entire face, malice clear in his jaundiced eyes. The same colour shared by his lieutenant - or _beta_ in pack terms - that Remus had killed earlier that day. A part of the reason he had so easily snapped the wolf's neck had been due to the similar shade of yellow eyes - the same colour that had haunted his nightmares for years.

But now, Remus finally had his chance. Greyback was a vicious, cruel, and heartless monster, and Remus had _dreamed_ of the day that he would meet his end. 

Privately, he had always wished to seek out vengeance himself and when Sirius had questioned his morals on the subject of killing, he had conceded to the point that if he could, he would kill Greyback.

And he _would._

Even if it meant accessing a part of himself that he had always done his best to repress. Recently, Remus had begun to accept his creature status and see the benefits in it, but it was still difficult to let all those years of self-hatred go. However, he knew they wouldn't have survived the Gaunt shack if it weren't for him being a werewolf and he was now more ready to believe his friends when they assured him that simply _being_ a werewolf didn't make him bad or evil. For years, he had been convinced that his wolf was something to be ashamed of but he could see now that his wolf was a part of him. However reluctant he may have been at first, Remus and his wolf were now one, and although they would likely always have different opinions, they both agreed on a few base ideals, and ending Greyback was one of them.

Remus had a true family now - he had a _pack._ Even more importantly, he had a mate. Regulus meant the world to Remus and there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for him. His wolf fought him for every step that took him further from Regulus, insisting that it was their duty to protect their beloved. But that was where Remus and Moony differed. Remus knew Regulus was more than capable of looking after himself and although that didn't mean he was happy about it, he was comfortable letting Regulus fight alone while _he_ dealt with Greyback. After watching sweet Mary Macdonald meet her grisly end, Remus knew where he was best needed - and it wasn't trailing after his boyfriend like a possessive wolf. 

None of these other wizards would be able to take on Greyback alone. Not even Sirius with his absurdly powerful dark spells or James and his crafty use of transfiguration - not unless multiple wizards or witches teamed up against him at once. Tackling a werewolf in a fight was difficult due to their innate resistance towards magic. Remus himself only had a few cuts from an exploding building, most of the curses he'd been able to shrug off or avoid altogether. It was part of the reason werewolves were so feared. All it took was one werewolf with an axe to grind and they could take out a whole family of wix before anyone was able to stop them.

So, Remus knew where he would be the most useful in this fight. He was the only one that could take on Greyback solo and it was imperative that whoever was left on their side didn't have to waste precious time and manpower by fruitlessly going after Greyback. As Frank Longbottom attempted to engage Greyback, Remus pushed him out of the way and snarled, "Go help Alice!"

_Greyback is mine,_ he did not need to say.

Frank sent him a look but reluctantly moved to his fiancée's side, joining her in her duel against two of the Flint brothers. 

"Ah, my wayward pup." Greyback grinned, tongue darting out to lick up what was left of Mary's blood. Revulsion curled in Remus' gut as he stared at the man that had infected him as a child. "I heard some interesting rumours, kid."

"Oh? What could they be?" Remus asked, fingering his wand as he debated the best way to slay the beast in front of him. He felt like a knight from the old tales going toe-to-toe with a dragon with nought but a sword and shield to protect the princess. Briefly, he wondered if Regulus would be the princess in his story. Picturing the furious scowl Regulus would direct his way at such a thought hardened his resolve to end the monster before him. He had plans to marry his lovely boyfriend and he knew that no matter how much time passed, sleep would never come easy to him knowing that Fenrir Greyback still drew breath. As recently as last night, Remus had awoken with lurid yellow flashing through his mind every time he closed his eyes.

"That you and the littlest Black are a couple," Greyback said easily, gruff voice filled with glee as he pretended to pick out Mary's flesh from his teeth. Perhaps he really was, Remus couldn't focus on it, instead choosing to keep his eyes locked on the werewolf as he took a step forward. "You and I both know werewolves mate for life, boy. So, is he _it?"_ He asked pointedly, a wild grin overtaking his whiskered face. The man's furred chin jutted out as he eyed Remus, ravenous anticipation clear in his gaze. The scar that bisected one of his eyebrows tightened slightly as he stretched his lips into a wide smile at Remus' disgruntled expression.

The younger werewolf's lip curled, "Everyone knows we're together at this point. You're a little late. Although, I suppose it makes sense you'd be a bit slow on the uptake. A foul thing like you doesn't have much in terms of brains." He said dismissively. Remus' shoulders bunched up slightly when Greyback laughed and his eyes narrowed as the man cracked his neck and took a step forward.

"We're the same, pup!" Greyback reminded him.

"I'm _nothing_ like you." The younger of the two hissed, heart pounding as he stared down at Greyback. The skin around Remus' fingernails begun to tingle as his nails extended and he felt the urge to lunge at Greyback with nothing but his claws and his fangs. When he had first been bitten, he had often achieved this partial shift, especially when it was close to the full moon. As Remus had grown and learned to control his wolf in a desperate need to appear normal, the change had seldom occurred. More recently, he had embraced that part of himself and had realised his nails almost always grew a little when he was angry. Now, they were extending into long, sharp claws and his gums ached slightly as his teeth elongated.

"Sure, sure. Keep denying your true nature, kid." Greyback snorted mirthfully. That had been true of his past self, but not anymore. Although, Remus would continue to refute that he and Greyback were alike, purely because he was no senseless murderer that delighted in spilling the blood of innocent children. "But it's true then, hm? You found your mate in baby Black." Greyback continued.

"Shut up." Remus snapped. Every time Greyback mentioned Regulus, his hair prickled along his forearms and the urge to rip the man apart with his bare hands became more persuasive. Internally, Moony was snapping and fighting against his reserve. 

Greyback let out another laugh, grinning viciously at him as he prowled closer. "I'd see him at meetings sometimes. Gorgeous little thing, eh? Bit stuck up, though." Greyback smirked when Remus snarled in response. Taking another step, Greyback languidly licked at his lips. "Those pretty eyes are what do it for me, the same colour as the moon." He hummed appreciatively, "Don't worry. After I kill you, I'll take good care of your little toy." He promised.

At that, Remus lost what little control he had and _pounced._

Forgoing his wand, Remus snarled ferociously and bounded forward to meet Greyback in a brutal collision of claws and teeth. Greyback snarled and snapped his teeth at Remus' neck which the younger only narrowly avoided by swiping his claws over Greyback's cheek. Remus growled as he was harshly thrown from Greyback by a nasty punch to the face which would have broken his nose if Greyback had not been distracted by the fierce gash Remus had given him.

Righting himself, Remus returned the hit but instead aimed for Greyback's jaw. As Greyback's head snapped to the side, he lunged closer to claw at the larger man's neck. Greyback hissed in pain and kicked out, managing to wind Remus as the man's foot connected with Remus' gut. Remus threw himself forward quickly, refusing to back down. Quickly ducking the punch thrown at him, Remus used Greyback's momentum against him to connect his fist with the man's throat. The older man growled before twisting in Remus' hold, throwing another hit at Remus' jaw which sent him stumbling. What Greyback lacked in technique, he certainly more than made up for in sheer strength. Remus groaned as Greyback's fist connected with his jaw, throwing him off balance. Blearily, he looked up at Greyback through narrowed eyes and tried to focus when he saw his mouth moving.

"-make the perfect little bitch and I'm sure he'd appreciate a _real_ alpha taking care of him for once." Greyback scoffed as he let his boot slam down to connect with Remus' abdomen, causing him to grunt as Greyback continued to apply pressure to the bruising skin with his foot. "Maybe I'll even let the other wolves have a go at him. When he's too sloppy to be of much use I'm sure he'll make a tasty meal. Not much meat on him but that's no bother." Greyback concluded with a gruff scoff as he pulled his foot back to kick Remus' side nastily.

Remus' hands clenched at the derogatory words against his fiancé and he used what little strength he had to grab for Greyback's leg. With a grip fuelled by rage, Remus twisted the limb sharply to one side, snapping the fragile bones of his ankle and using the man's weight to force him to the ground as he pulled his legs out from underneath him. Greyback yelled out as his head connected with the floor and scrambled to try and gain the upper hand again.

"Fuck!" He growled, "Disobedient little brat, I'll be using your bones to flavour my stew! I'll turn your pack into minced meat." He threatened menacingly. Remus snarled and threw himself on top of the werewolf, lifting his fist and sending a forceful punch directly at Greyback's nose. Not wasting a moment, he followed it up with a second hit to his jaw before latching his hands around the older man's throat, purposefully digging his claws into the flesh as he choked him.

"Don't-" Remus snarled as he squeezed the other werewolf's throat, pinning him to the ground as he dug his claws into the tender flesh. He tightened his grip as he stared into the yellow eyes that had haunted him every day since he was a young child. Remus could feel Greyback frantically trying to shake him off but he held on, applying more pressure in retaliation. The older werewolf's face reddened as Remus poured all of his strength into his arms. Parts of Greyback's face began to bulge from the force with which Remus was choking him and Remus' heart pounded in exhilaration as Greyback's eyes began to turn glassy. "Don't _ever_ speak about my pack like that." Remus hissed as tears began to burn in his eyes, letting his claws draw blood as he tore into the skin, choking the man that had made him into a monster.

In the heat of the moment, his mind brought forth the terror and hopelessness he had felt as a young toddler when faced by Greyback's hulking form. As Greyback's eyes began to flutter, Remus made a split-second decision fuelled by spiteful wrath that had been festering for years. With an agonising cry, Remus wrenched his claws out, shredding the skin and gouging out the flesh in his throat. Blood puddled around Greyback's throat as he choked and spluttered beneath him just as Mary had a few minutes previously.

Remus' nostrils flared as Greyback looked up at him in shock, clearly not expecting Remus to be so vicious. _Someone should have taught him some manners_ , Remus thought to himself. Pulling himself to his feet, Remus pulled out his wand and with a final cutting spell, tore the rest of the weakened flesh in one clean swipe of his wand. Not a moment later, blood began to spew from the werewolf's mutilated throat and Remus blinked slowly as the sound of Greyback's heartbeat began to fade. Remus made sure to burn the image of those vacant yellow eyes into his brain before he looked up at the battle raging around him.

Before he could make sense of the strange quiet, Remus heard a broken wail followed by a fierce roar of fury and turned his attention towards where he had left his friends.

\---

When Sirius had seen aunt Cassie battling Bellatrix, he hadn't been surprised. As powerful as most of the members of their family were, Bellatrix had always been wickedly talented with a wand. Add to that her reckless abandon for her own life - or the lives of her comrades - and her fervent need to please Voldemort, well, it was easy to see why she was Voldemort's most feared and deadly servant. Therefore, it would take an equally fearsome witch to end her.

Enter, Cassiopeia Black. 

Sirius had been more than happy to let Cassie take the witch but now, with many of the Death Eaters dead on the floor and a portion of their own numbers down, he knew it was time to step in and end the bitch once and for all. Besides, Cassiopeia may not like Bellatrix but Sirius _loathed_ the witch and he would do anything to see her life end.

Thinking back to the vicious-looking hex Snape had used earlier against his best friend, Sirius aimed for the wizard sneaking up on Cassiopeia and with a slash of his wand, cried out, _"Sectumsempra!"_ Sirius could remember the awful gash on James' arm and how Regulus' attempts at healing it had been for nought and Sirius could admit that he was morbidly curious to see how the curse would work in full effect. Besides, a Death Eater was a Death Eater so Sirius didn't much care what happened to him.

With slightly widened eyes, Sirius watched as two curved slashes of white light tore into the wizard's chest; blood began spurting instantly as the flesh tore open and Sirius observed in amazement as the wizard tried to stop the rapid flow of blood before staggering. Sirius tilted his head in sick fascination as the two thick gouges in the wizard's chest continued to sputter out blood even as the wizard's eyes fluttered closed. Vaguely, he was aware of Regulus and Remus talking but he paid it no mind. For a moment, Sirius' mind blanked as he stared at the dead body before he reviewed the spell in his head. Latin classes as a child had been mandatory and he remembered enough about spell creation to understand that the spell loosely translated to 'cut always' or perhaps 'ever severing' depending on one's interpretation. Sirius shook his head as he sidled up to Cassie, it was a shame that Snape was such a prick, he was clearly intelligent and cunning enough to create such a deadly spell. _No use lamenting over the dead,_ the madness within him _purred._

"Ickle baby Sirius!" Bellatrix cried happily at the sight of him, voracious hunger in her eyes as she raised her wand higher, _"Crucio!"_

"Bloody hell, you really do have no imagination, isn't that right, Trixie?" He taunted, throwing back a wordless _Lacero_ which she narrowly blocked. The returning black flames set his teeth on edge, "That's a Black creation, you bitch!" He hissed spitefully. His body ached with the need to cut her down but he wanted to have some fun first. Bellatrix was one of the few Death Eaters that would pose a true challenge to Sirius and he was desperate to see how this would go. 

"Ha!" She cackled. "One that was published for all to admire!" She spat.

"Well, of course," Sirius gritted his teeth as he sent a series of boiling hexes targeted at her liver and a foul spell that would have torn out her kidneys, "Too bad you can't use the _proper_ Black spells anymore else you'd go up in flames." He smirked.

Cassiopeia giggled as she caused flesh-eating slime to spew from her wand and wriggle over to Bellatrix who gasped and vanished it, "More's the pity!"

With a growl of frustration, Bellatrix hissed. _"Verdimillious Tria!"_ Instantly, Sirius raised the strongest shield he could as he knew dodging wouldn't be useful for this particular spell. The electric green sparks would seek them out wherever they ran so he simply put his all into keeping the shield up while Cassie did the same with a vengeful glare.

Behind Bellatrix, Sirius could see his uncle Alphard struggling under the attentions of multiple wizards. Sirius was displeased to note that he still seemed injured but at least he was still alive. His aunt must have noticed this too as she began throwing more vicious hexes at Bellatrix as she slowly inched to the side. Sirius' mind began to race as he thought how best to approach this. Thinking quickly, Sirius did what he did best and opened his mouth.

"You know, I'm surprised at you, Bella." He called after sending a silent but admittedly weak slicing hex that had been mainly to push her into Cassiopeia's spellfire than to actually harm her. 

"Oh?" She questioned, easily side-stepping the curse and sending back a bludgeoning hex, "Why's that, ickle Siri?" The use of Regulus' nickname for him always irritated him and he used that agitation to fuel what he said next. With a silent apology to his family for mentioning such a thing so callously, he cocked his head at Bellatrix.

"Maybe because for all you're a nasty bitch, I didn't think you'd choose standing here to exchange pleasantries with me over your little sister's life." He replied easily as he hit her with a low-powered _Ventus_ that had her stumbling in shock when paired with his words. Sirius' stomach churned at his own careless use of Narcissa and her possible demise against her sister, but Sirius knew how best to get to Bellatrix, and he didn't mind playing dirty to get what he wanted. He was pretty sure he'd proven that enough today. "But maybe I'm just a better sibling than you are." He couldn't help but add.

After a brief pause, the manic witch scowled. "I have no care for that filthy traitor or her mudblood spawn!" But even then, she glanced around from where they had managed to push her backwards so that they were in the centre of the market. She would never say it, but Sirius knew how much she loved Andromeda. It was why she had taken Andromeda's leaving so badly.

"Hm, probably." Sirius hummed, the disbelief clear from his tone, "But what about Narcissa?"

Bellatrix scowled and he only barely dodged the killing curse she flung his way, "What about her?" She snapped.

"I never said it was 'Meda. Last I saw, Andy was the one trying to kill that fucker, Carrow, for slicing open 'Cissa's stomach. I guess she always _was_ the more attentive sister."

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she threw a fierce blasting hex at the ground by their feet that had the two Blacks tripping over themselves as they hurried to avoid the debris. "You lie!" She forced out eventually.

"Nope, I'm really not," Sirius said hurriedly as he ducked another sickly green curse. "If there's one thing we can agree on, Bella, it's our duty to our annoying little siblings." He laughed humourlessly, "I guess we really are more alike than we'd both care to admit."

Bellatrix glared at him maliciously, _"Crucio!"_ She cried, not sparing a moment to right her aim which Sirius inwardly grinned at. The cracks in her armour were beginning to show and he knew it was only a matter of time before she made a fatal mistake. "I'm nothing like you! Filth, scum, the dirty half-breeds you cavort with! I'd never do such a pitiful thing!"

"Pitiful?" He laughed, nodding at Cassie who had finally used Bellatrix's distracted state to skirt away to aide Alphard in his fight. The man had been struggling in his injured state and Sirius was more than glad to let Cassie go to help him - which she did with a swift entrail-expelling curse aimed at the bigger of the two men. In any case, Sirius knew he could handle this alone. He was positive that he could. Alphard was a fierce duellist but even he was worn out and could certainly use the backup much more than Sirius. "Says the one that abandoned her family to suck a half-blood bastard's dick! Did he even tell you the truth when you joined or did you find out when it was already too late?"

With a cry of rage, the witch sent a series of violet hexes that he knew were a variation of the tongue-tying curse from the hue and the wand movements she had made. It was another Black speciality that would have filled him with the urge to tear out his own tongue and devour it; Sirius was glad she had missed. "How dare you!" Bellatrix shrieked, "I _never_ abandoned my family! They abandoned _me!_ You left us and then had the _audacity_ to come back as if you had done no wrong! Of the two of us, _you_ are the traitor here!"

"Oh, really?" Sirius laughed, "I'm not the one throwing around curses for a no-named bastard with a superiority complex while my little sister's intestines are spilling out!" He snapped, letting her attempt at stunning him ricochet off of his shield. 

Bellatrix let out an inhuman shriek of rage, her wild black hair flying over her shoulder as she put her all into her wand movements, "How dare you insult my Lord!" She seethed. A well-aimed curse that had small star patterns carved into the victim's skin managed to make contact with her chest and she staggered as blood began to spill over her robes. Her haggard appearance was certainly quenching his thirst for blood and he grinned at the state of her. Bellatrix's hair was unevenly shredded while her long black dress robes had long since been burned off to leave behind a corseted black gown she had always adored. Her cheek was shining from a nasty burn and various cuts were scattered across her face. As well as this, the skin of her chest was damp with blood and Sirius was pleased to see the rapid movements of her chest as she panted from exertion.

Sirius refrained from grinning at his success. Even as children, Sirius had known that when going against Bella, distracting her was the only way to cause her to lose focus. Otherwise, she was simply too unpredictable and powerful. Cassiopeia's training was clearly reflected in her work as all Blacks with an interest in duelling had been tutored by the fiercest witch in their family; Sirius himself had endured countless hours with her even before attending Hogwarts.

"Your _Lord's_ a coward!" Sirius provoked, wincing as he dodged to the right and ended up stepping on a decapitated hand. He stumbled for a moment before flinging the hand towards Bellatrix with a quick flick of his wand. She easily sliced through the appendage and sent the bloodied chunks flying back towards him. "A desperate man trying to escape the inevitable." He called as he vanished the pieces. 

"My Lord is revolutionary!" She snapped, managing to hit Sirius with a burning hex that he'd had to step in the way of to avoid her killing curse. "He is no mere man!" She was becoming more bloodthirsty. Every curse he dodged or blocked bounced off and exploded something behind him. One of the Death Eaters nearby had even had his lungs expanded to the point that they burst out of his chest from a wicked curse that Sirius had ducked. Smoke and ash swirled around them in a thick fog that obscured parts of the market from his sight but Sirius was still somehow aware that many of the nearby battles were ending. "He is beyond such mundane and pedestrian-"

"His name's Tom." The younger of the two laughed carelessly, "Named after a muggle, how very _scandalous!"_ He teased slyly.

The wicked witch gave another furious shriek, her spells coming much faster now but they lacked accuracy. One of her particularly vicious stinging jinxes even managed to hit Lady Selwyn in the back, giving Euphemia a chance to finally knock the other witch out. Another spell had exploded one of the nearby corpses and Sirius cringed at the raining body parts and mangled flesh. The stench of the battlefield had his head rushing and for once he was truly regretting being a dog animagus. The putrid smell of blood and charred flesh had him gagging and the ash was beginning to irritate his sensitive eyes. Sweat was pouring from his forehead and every so often he'd need to heave in a mighty breath but Sirius was determined to keep going.

Bellatrix laughed at the show of the broken body and Sirius hastily fired off a whip of fire at her feet which she danced away from with only slightly singed robes. "That is exactly what I'll do to your little mudblood loving friends!" She cackled, "I'll tear that little half-breed's whore of a brother of yours to pieces!" 

The words sent revulsion through him but Sirius refused to let them distract him. Just like Bellatrix, his emotions could often get the better of him and cause him to make rookie mistakes. "Not anymore." He whispered to himself. _For Regulus, for James, for Remus.. for the boy I thought Peter was_ , Sirius thought to himself before sending a smirk to his cousin.

Using a few conjured birds to distract her - a trick he'd learned from James during the Horcrux hunt - Sirius used a spell he had read about with Regulus at the manor.

"Sorry, cousin, but you won't get the chance." Sirius smirked, _"Cipyr!"_ He hissed, flicking his wand and keeping the point trained on her as the spell struck true. 

The ethereal blue light of the spell spiralled towards her chest in a mystical dance that had her freezing in shock. At once, blue frost began to crawl outwards from where it had hit, the ice slowly creeping up her throat and covering her face to permanently freeze an expression of disbelief upon her painfully familiar features. Sirius swallowed thickly as he squared his shoulders with a silent apology to his two remaining cousins. No matter what, they would always have the memories from when they were sisters and he knew that who she once was would be mourned greatly. " _Bombarda."_ Sirius said dispassionately and watched with a numb sense of satisfaction as Bellatrix's statuesque form was shattered into jagged pieces, an instant death that she would have hardly felt - a similar end to Peter's.

A wail tore through the air and Sirius turned to see his fair-haired cousin sobbing with her hands clapped over her mouth as she stared at the shattered remains of her oldest sister. Sirius was relieved to see that Narcissa's injury had been mostly healed and although she seemed pale from the blood loss, he knew Andromeda and Lucius wouldn't let her get hurt. Over Narcissa's shoulder, Andromeda met his eye and gave him a sad smile, inclining her head and pulling Narcissa back into the building she must have hurried out of when she saw Bellatrix and Sirius' duel coming to an end. 

However, the soft sobs he could faintly hear from Narcissa were drowned out as Voldemort felt the death of his most loyal companion and emitted a bellow of rage.

\---

Regulus wasn't sure why he had thought this would be a good idea. 

In a stroke of brash, thoughtless insanity, Regulus had decided to launch himself across the battlefield to reach Voldemort. If he survived, Regulus would make sure to blame his impulsive actions on his foolhardy brother. Clearly, Sirius was a bad influence on him. Perhaps he really had been spending too much time around reckless Gryffindors because Regulus would never have done this a year previously.

On second thought, Regulus remembered that he had basically attempted suicide after being given the first opportunity to think for himself. Maybe Regulus just shouldn't be allowed to make his own decisions. His mind healer would give him a very disappointed look at that thought.

The battlefield looked as grim and horrid as Regulus had expected. The once beautiful and vibrant marketplace was now soaked with blood. Half of the buildings were destroyed or wrecked in some fashion. A blanket of heavy smoke hung overhead and Regulus thanked Flitwick for teaching him all of those household charms that he had originally thought would be useless - he was getting more use out of the air-freshening charm than he had ever thought plausible. Regulus wiped the sweat out of his eyes, cursing as he glanced down at his red-streaked palm. Overall, Regulus had faired pretty well in terms of physical injuries and he was pleased that he was still able to stand upright although he was certainly sore in many places.

As he passed his uncle Alphard, Regulus cringed as he noticed the man limping heavily and sent a stunner at one of the Death Eaters sneaking up on him. Many of the Death Eaters left were either especially tricky to duel with or had spent most of their time hiding out to bide time. Regulus saw Avery leap out from behind a pillar, a sharp whip of flames singing his hair as the inferno soared past his left cheek. 

Regulus cursed again, throwing up a shield and ducking behind a section of the wall that had fallen over. "Opportunistic prick." Regulus seethed to himself. The little weasel had always boasted that when the time came, he would be a most faithful and prized servant of Lord Voldemort. _Clearly,_ Regulus snorted, _that did not turn out to be the truth_. At least the majority of the other Death Eaters actually stayed true to what they had signed up for. That may sound a little hypocritical coming from a turncoat, but Regulus had never been truly loyal to the Death Eaters and had never pretended to be unless it was for his own self-preservation. It's not like he would have told Voldemort to his face that he hated the sight of him, he wasn't _that_ stupid.

... Well, he didn't _use_ to be.

Regulus huffed as Avery kept flinging curses at him, barely taking a moment to see the effects of his previous spell before he'd throw another one. Regulus sighed, why were some of the Death Eaters so ridiculously incompetent. He almost felt bad for taking care of them so easily. Almost being the operative word; Regulus was no Gryffindor, he was a Slytherin and he would never turn down such an opportunity.

His silver eyes glinted as he saw the smoke clouding above them and a slow smirk overtook his features as he raised his wand. _"Metelojinx!"_ He crowed easily. At once, the smoke thickened and condensed into storm clouds. The clouds churned and rumbled for a moment before a heavy downpour of rain began to lash against the ground. Regulus watched from his much drier spot as the localised storm began to wash away some of the blood staining the grey stones behind Avery's feet and he hummed appreciatively at the sight.

Something about the rain had always calmed him and it gave Regulus a moment of reprieve from the awful events. Starting with Pettigrew's betrayal, his own terror at seeing his former master, and then dealing with a depraved werewolf - all of which had occurred in quick succession. Sufficed to say, Regulus was tired. Regulus was riddled with fatigue, exhaustion pulling at him and every bone in his body ached with the desire for rest but he _couldn't._

Not yet; not while Voldemort still drew breath.

"Is that all, Black?" Avery laughed as he stood under the little rainstorm Regulus had summoned. "Are you really so weak that you can't even fight me?"

Regulus scoffed and simply enounced, _"Grando."_

The clouds rumbled, thunder rolling through the clouds before thick hail-stones rocketed towards Avery with a vengeance. Regulus blinked and jumped to his feet from where he had been crouched, glad that the storm had only affected Avery. Regulus would not have been impressed if he had to fight Voldemort sopping wet; he would have looked utterly ridiculous.

Regulus paused as he moved further along and saw the other Prewett twin fighting Antonin Dolohov. The dark-haired Death Eater had a thick burn across the bridge of his nose and his left arm was clearly broken but he fought with a frightening intensity. There was a small blonde boy on the ground beside Fabian and Regulus felt another twinge of pity at the sight of Marlene's now-deceased cousin. Regulus swallowed as Fabian staggered before a horrifyingly familiar stream of bright purple flames soared towards the Auror's chest.

He gasped loudly when the flames wrapped around Fabian's abdomen, the ginger man freezing for a moment before dropping to the ground like a tranquilised Nundu. Regulus' eyes burned at the loss of another life on their side but a part of him felt it was appropriate. Regulus had seen Gideon's body already and he wasn't surprised that Fabian had basically decided to go on a rampage until his own thread was cut. He knew for himself that if he had seen his own brother murdered in front of him he would have killed everything in sight until someone took pity on him and ended his misery.

Dolohov turned to him with a twisted grin, cheeks bunching up as if genuinely pleased to see him while his black eyes glinted in amusement and Regulus swallowed thickly as he glanced around at the almost empty market. Voldemort was still engaged with Arcturus and Fleamont, and although there were still a few other duels taking place, none of them were near enough to him to be able to help. He was alone.

Regulus blinked as he righted himself and took a step closer, wasting no time before he cried out, _"Stupefy!"_ Of course, it did nothing, but Regulus hoped it had the intended effect of making Dolohov underestimate him. People often did, especially when they had Sirius for comparison. Regulus was generally thought of as the smaller, less impressive version of Sirius. For a while, he had even begun to believe it.

The Russian wizard cleanly blocked the ball of light, eyes lighting up at his choice of spell. _At least it worked_ , Regulus thought dryly. Now all he had to do was keep Dolohov thinking that he had the upper hand. Regulus dodged Dolohov's attempt at blinding him before using a mild cutting spell in retaliation. The two traded spells for a moment and Regulus couldn't help but wonder why Dolohov wasn't trying to _kill_ him. Maybe he was gaining some sort of sick pleasure from toying with Regulus whom he clearly perceived to be nothing but a little boy that had gotten lucky several times. Regulus didn't care; he was aware of his own skill and he knew that he could take Dolohov. 

Regulus continued his strange dance with Dolohov before a sudden thought struck him as he glanced at one of the bodies behind the Russian man. The large dagger sticking out the back of his head was startlingly familiar and it barely took him a moment to recognise the black hilt encrusted with diamonds. Regulus knew the diamonds would be scattered in an uneven, but purposeful, jagged line - the array of stars depicted in the constellation of Cassiopeia. At this, Regulus had to valiantly fight down a grin. Dolohov was a considerable foe with magic but Regulus knew that many wizards did not prepare for physical attacks. Bellatrix herself was only handy with a blade because of Cassiopeia's love for them and her insistence that all Blacks learn how to throw a dagger and- _well,_ Regulus always had been an exemplary student.

So much so that he had remembered to stow a blade on a charmed holster on his wrist. Regulus had wanted to use it on the werewolf from earlier but stabbing a werewolf while underneath them would have been impossible. Not for someone of his size and overall lack of physical strength. But Regulus did not need to force the knife into Dolohov's muscled chest with his own strength, the knife would pick up momentum as long as he launched it right.

With a sharp snap of his wrist, the long silver throwing knife appeared in his hand and he ran a thumb over the Black crest set into the metal. This blade had been a gift from Orion many years ago and a part of him ached at the strange but surprisingly thoughtful gift the man had given him.

Regulus forced the thoughts from his head and smoothly took the dagger in between his fingers, keeping his wand focused on Dolohov, Regulus pulled his hand back and let his arm straighten out as the knife soared from his fingertips. Dolohov, who had begun to fire off spells much more aggressively at the appearance of the dagger, was frozen in place as the blade came soaring towards his face. Regulus watched with vicious satisfaction as the knife was forced through Dolohov's left eye with a swift thump. Dolohov's head was forced backwards from the force of the blow and the rest of his body toppled with him in one fluid motion. It was strange just how human they became in death and Regulus wondered if muggles and wizards went to the same place after they died.

Maybe. 

Regulus hurried to Dolohov's fallen corpse, putting his foot on the man's cheek as he attempted to pull the knife out with a rough tug. There was a little resistance and he grimaced as the sharp blade sliced further into the soft tissues as he jerked the knife out of Dolohov's eye. The whole left side of Dolohov's face was coated with blood and Regulus sighed as he pushed his damp fringe out of his eyes. As he turned to leave, he caught sight of Fabian's body and sent a silent wish for peace for the brave man. He hoped the twins could reunite in death and he was silently thankful they hadn't had to live without one another for too long.

Making his way across the market to join his grandfather, Regulus tucked the blood-stained knife back into his holster and kept a firm grip on his wand. There were a few more stray Death Eaters loping around and he even caught a few that had been stunned early on were beginning to wake up and he swiftly petrified them again for good measure. Any Death Eater wand Regulus came across, he snapped or stepped on until it cracked. Merlin, no _wonder_ the Order was struggling so much. Who fights against a known killer and leaves them armed and simply in a forced state of unconsciousness that could be broken at any minute? All the Death Eaters needed was one wizard under an invisibility cloak walking around the battlefield casting _rennervate_ every few minutes and they'd be fine!

"Incompetent," Regulus muttered as he stormed towards Voldemort. The wizard was still more or less backed into a corner with both Fleamont and Arcturus keeping him on his toes. Regulus wasn't surprised to see that the two men were mildly injured but he was very pleasantly surprised by the state of Voldemort. His left cheek was scorched and a long, curved cut bisected the cartilage of his ear. There were a few scattered burns on his hands and there was an odd trail of blood beneath his feet that spoke of an injury hidden beneath his robes. Regulus was also glad to see the growing uncertainty in his eyes as Voldemort focused his gaze on him, clearly recognising that even if he did not die today, the majority of his followers were already dead.

Just as his grandfather turned to sharply berate him, Voldemort suddenly staggered before letting out a bellow of pure, unfiltered rage. Regulus' eyes widened as a sudden hush fell behind him and he whirled around to find out what had happened. Shock consumed him for a brief moment as he saw Sirius panting as he stood atop the shattered remains of whoever he had been duelling. His chest tightened as he saw a long rope of curly black hair by Sirius' feet and Voldemort's renewed anger suddenly made a lot more sense.

Bellatrix was dead. A sort of detached realisation struck him. Bellatrix was _dead_ and _Sirius_ had killed her. His eyes fluttered for a moment before he turned back to Voldemort and used his lack of focus to his advantage. _"Depulso!"_ He called as he aimed at Voldemort's chest. Regulus wished he could have tried his hand at the killing curse but the thing had far too many syllables to be cast quickly.

Within a second, Voldemort's attention snapped back to the fight. Although Regulus still managed to knock him back a few feet, Voldemort wasted no time as he curled his lip into a fierce snarl. _"Avada Kedavra!"_ The wizard hissed, flinging two sharp killing curses one after the other. Regulus neatly ducked the one aimed at him and was pleased that Fleamont was able to avoid the other. 

With a hatred the Regulus wouldn't have expected from Fleamont, the eldest Potter sent a ruthless appendicitis curse at the man and Regulus was partly stumped at how easily he had cast it. Perhaps there was more to the mild-mannered man than he had first thought. _Fitting,_ Regulus considered as he remembered his first impression of James and reflected on how much he had grown in the past year. Although, Regulus had seen the ease with which Euphemia dealt with her enemies so he supposed James had equal parts of his parents in him.

"Do give it up, Riddle." Grandfather chided, "This is getting terribly dull."

Voldemort's reply was another killing curse aimed at Grandfather's knees. _Clever,_ Regulus mused. Although it was a trickier area to hit, it was much less expected and was impossible to dodge without moving your whole body which would be useful when going against an older opponent. The dark wizard growled in frustration before using a fiery orange blasting curse aimed at a shop behind him. It had previously been one of the few still standing but not once Voldemort brought the building to rubble in his twisted rage. One of the large sections of the wall was transfigured and the large serpent soared over Voldemort's shoulder and launched itself at Regulus who immediately prepared to vanish the snake.

Before he could do so, the animal was frozen in place and transformed into multiple pointed stakes which were sent back at Voldemort. Regulus turned sharply to his right and was unsurprised that his brother had appeared beside him and had been the one to deal with the snake.

"Hello, Tom." Sirius smirked with a cocky wave, "Sorry about killing your favourite pet." He said. Regulus knew he had been referring to Bellatrix and not the snake and by the way Voldemort's magic pulsed maliciously, he knew it too.

"I have no use for any magical so easily bested by a blood-traitor." Voldemort sneered. 

Sirius snorted, "Blood-traitor I may be, but I _am_ still a pureblood. You can't exactly say the same, can you, Riddle?"

Voldemort's lip curled before he sent off a shockwave of malignant magic through the earth. Regulus' body trembled in place as the ground shifted and rumbled beneath him. Voldemort smiled wickedly as they stumbled and raised his wand to begin casting his next series of spells. Only a few metres away, his brother righted himself and immediately attempted to hit Voldemort with a rippling black spell that fluttered much like a Lethifold as it soared through the air. Regulus was unsurprised that the shroud was dispelled by Voldemort - but it had the intended effect of distracting him enough that Grandfather had almost taken him out with a spell to the knees.

A malignant smirk overtook Voldemort's pale features and Regulus did not spare another second. In an instant, he raised a shield and affirmed his stance. Regulus had seen that look on the dark wizard's face before - usually at meetings before he would reveal his next victim or the next location of a raid. The look spoke of cool satisfaction and a damning thirst to see his _vision_ unfold before him.

Regulus was pleased that his shield had withstood the onslaught of repulsively dark spells but was disheartened at the tremble in his wand hand as he immediately fired back with his own equally as cruel curses. Both of his family members were almost exclusively sticking to Black family specialities and he was wickedly pleased to note that Sirius had managed to completely rot Voldemort's left hand with a necrosis curse. The pale skin immediately blackened and shrivelled; the skin blistered and odd sections decayed to the point that they crumbled and split into painful sores. It was a less deadly variant of the withering curse that had been on the ring and by the gleam in Sirius' eye, Regulus knew exactly why his brother had chosen that specific curse instead of a more lethal option.

By the blood-boiling curse that was pelted towards Sirius - Voldemort knew as well.

There were still the occasional sounds of spellfire behind him and Regulus was immensely pleased to recognise Remus and James as two of them. They were both well enough to fight - that was good. Regulus had worried about leaving them, they were just so precious to him, so hearing them speak - even if in the heat of a fight - was a symphony unlike any other.

"Are we seriously going to keep doing this?" Sirius huffed as he dodged another curse. 

Regulus snickered at the rage on Voldemort's face at Sirius' utter lack of fear, "I suppose so." Regulus called back. The precise cut across his shoulder was irritating but his ire was smoothed over somewhat when Grandfather almost made Voldemort hit the ground with a simple tripping jinx. Sirius' irritation was understandable at this point. They were all dancing around each other. Any time one came close to hitting Voldemort with anything deadly - it was as if his magic acted in defence all by itself. But there was a tell to Voldemort's duelling style that Regulus had begun to pick up on.

Unlike his brother, Regulus had actually been paying attention to every minor detail during their time battling the wizard. Voldemort was a fierce opponent - a much deadlier foe than he had ever faced, certainly - but his focus was put wholly into his casting. His style was very similar to Sirius'. It was even similar to Arcturus' and Fleamont's to a lesser degree. Many wizards tended to put their focus either into defence or attack and these three wizards most certainly favoured offensive tactics when duelling.

Regulus was not certain how best to approach the situation. Voldemort's defence was weak in comparison to his offence, but that did not mean his shields were weak by themselves. Regulus had sent one of his most powerful bone-shattering curses at him at the shield had only just held up under the brutal hit - for any other wizard, the shield would have been completely ineffective. 

His methodical approach to situations such as these had often helped him out of very tight spots and he lamented that this could end up being the one time his brain could not do much for him as he deflected another hex. 

A plume of fire swooped through the air in the form of a dragon that the pale wizard sent careening towards Arcturus. For a moment, Regulus had felt his heart sink at the likeness it had to Fiendfyre. However, his grandfather merely tutted and summoned a large aqueous creature that greatly resembled a wyvern to extinguish the blaze.

Voldemort's eyes burned with hatred while Arcturus continued to survey him with that unimpressed, borderline disappointed, stare. Opposite them, Voldemort scowled before making a sharp motion with his wand. The silent gathering of Voldemort's magic had him on edge and he pre-emptively cast his strongest shield just as he had moments earlier. Before he could so much as think, the ground beneath him began to tremble and quake as a large crack was formed beneath Voldemort's feet. In utter silence, the cracks began to spread outwards towards them, resembling a large web of a spider. As Regulus began to repair the gashes in the stone, the ground beneath his feet suddenly softened and he gasped as he started to sink into the concrete.

Beneath him, the ground had changed consistency. Instead of solid stone, there was now a strange, sand-like mixture bubbling beneath his feet and he watched in horror as his feet disappeared into the earth below. Regulus' head whipped around to meet the incensed face of his brother and the uncertain visages of the two older men. His chest tightened with fear as he tried to move but couldn't. Regulus tried again, using all of his strength to try and move just his right foot but instead, the opposite happened. The mixture around his feet tightened and slowly but surely, Regulus' foot was consumed by the substance. With a wild panic consuming him, Regulus continued to try and remove himself from the substance. Only, every time he so much as moved, he was pulled under further. Regulus' heart pounded as he realised what would happen if he didn't find a way to stop this. He would drown, he would drown just as he almost had the previous year. He would be pulled beneath the ground and forced to relive the mind-numbing panic from the lake as his lungs burned and his body flailed and he tried to do everything he could to stay alive but it would all be for nought and he would inhale just to choke on-

No, _no,_ Regulus furiously told himself. He would not crumble, not _now._ He wasn't the scared little boy he once was; Regulus was smarter, better, and stronger than the boy he used to be. Regulus' mind raced - he had to do something. _Your brain,_ Regulus told himself, _use your logic_. This was clearly a form of transfiguration but _darker._ It must have had some form of elemental magic involved due to the way the earth reacted to Voldemort's magic. Thinking back to the Horcrux in Little Hangleton, he remembered the putrid effect Voldemort's magic had on the earth there and, similarly, how earlier that day the man had cracked the concrete beneath his feet without much thought. 

So, Voldemort had a special connection with the earth. Understandable. Most powerful wizards tended to display an affinity towards one of the elements; James and Remus were both inclined towards the earth too whereas his brother's spells had always been strongest when they were rooted in fire and heat.

Something clicked inside of Regulus' rapidly spinning mind and his eyes lit up as he realised how best to deal with the situation as he thought of his _own_ specialities. Voldemort was certainly clever; this little trick was clearly working on the other three and he glanced up to see Fleamont and his Grandfather attempting to transfigure or manipulate the earth back into stone. _It won't work,_ he wanted to say but he kept his mouth shut. He could not draw attention to himself yet. He needed to think this through. 

"Wanker." Sirius snarled as he began to blast the strange substance with hexes dark enough to have him sent to Azkaban for a lengthy period of time. Regulus' lips quirked slightly at the sight. For a long time, he had boiled with envy over Sirius' innate ability to use such wild and impressive spells. He had wondered why he too had not been born with such a careless affinity towards magic. The hours spent gruelling over books and taking notes until his fingers cramped had always seemed pointless when compared to Sirius who could master a spell within a few minutes of waving his wand about. 

But Regulus knew better now. He was no longer a bitter child and his intellect had saved them on too many occasions for him to dare to discount the privilege he had. Strength and power were certainly admirable traits, but wisdom and strategy were the real backbones behind any good plan and Regulus was eager to prove just that.

"The roof!" He hissed to his brother without so much as glancing at him. Regulus could have done it himself but he couldn't risk Voldemort working out what he was doing or using his plan against him. If this worked, _well,_ it just might kill Voldemort. It would at least weaken him immensely and although he'd be sacrificing a part of his own strength for such a powerful spell, it would be worth it. It _would._ Regulus was already up to his knees in the softened stone and his heart stuttered as he realised that if this didn't work, they were all doomed. His grandfather's face was pale as he continued to fire blindly at Voldemort and the almost resigned set to Fleamont's jaw only made Regulus more determined. He could do this.

Sirius' casting froze for a second, likely as he tried to work out what Regulus meant by the annoyingly ambiguous demand before he yelled, _"Bombarda!"_ Although he hadn't asked, Sirius then shielded him as the ceiling cracked and different-sized pieces of glass began to shower them all. Thankfully, Sirius had not broken open the whole roof, only the section above them, which was preferable to the whole ceiling and the framework raining down on them. 

Now up to his waist in the spongy substance, Regulus inhaled as some of the glass was sent towards Voldemort with a jab of Arcturus' wand. A rush of adrenaline-fuelled Regulus as he twirled his wand and - for the second time that day - called; _"Metelojinx!"_ The small thunderstorm responded beautifully to his urgency and Regulus laughed madly as the clouds raged with a brutal storm that lashed down upon Voldemort who seemed baffled by Regulus' choice in spell. Inhaling a deep breath to ground himself, Regulus kept his wand pointed towards the sky as he sent a silent prayer to mother magic that she would allow him to access the elements for his spellwork.

A part of Regulus had secretly lamented his animagus form due to the restrictions from his most favourite activity - flying. Regulus had always adored soaring through the air and directing his broom through clouds. There was something so freeing about being up in the air and having a complete lack of inhibitions and Regulus craved it every single day.

Regulus' chest was tight not only on account of the suffocating press of the concrete against his ribs but also due to the increased presence of magic surrounding the five wizards. The air around them tightened and fluttered as a gust of wind blew through the market, howling and whistling as it stirred up ash and smoke to add it into the clouds Regulus had summoned. A flutter danced through Regulus' chest, his pulse thrummed and his body tensed in preparation for the words Regulus uttered next.

With absolute focus, he intoned a spell that would most assuredly have him escorted to Azkaban without so much as a second thought. _"Fulminis."_ He roared, body pulsing with power as he jerked the point of his wand upwards in an assertive motion. Beside him, he heard a startled gasp from Fleamont and a choked cry from Sirius but he paid them no mind. His grandfather was completely silent as the magic soared from his wand and spiralled into the sky above in a mesmerising coil of luminous blue and shining ivory.

His man-made storm combined with the call for lightning from Earth's sky was more than enough to achieve what he wanted. Regulus brought the point of his wand down in a confident arc and directed the surge of energy he could feel tugging at his gut towards Voldemort who was uncertainly backing away a few steps. There was no use trying to avoid the spell but Voldemort did not know that. Regulus smirked as a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky, the electric blue currents sharply cutting through the clouds he had summoned, gaining strength from his added magic, and in a swift blow, the lightning struck its target.

The resulting bang had his fellow family members cringing as they summoned shields to avoid the backlash but Regulus was too busy letting the ripples of power flood through his veins. Regulus understood why so many men throughout history became drunk with power - it was simply intoxicating. Like casting Dark Magic for the first time, it was euphoric and induced a level of delirium that had his knees weak and already he felt an urge to try his hand at casting something equally as dangerous or toxic.

Regulus blinked as the earth beneath him began to solidify and he quickly pulled himself out of the crater in the ground with help from his much taller grandfather who had already climbed out and come over to help him. His grandfather steadied him and Regulus stared up at him silently for a moment, rolling his loose shoulders out and turning to see the damage he had caused.

Where Voldemort had once stood was a smoking black scorch mark on the stone. The crack that had formed beneath Voldemort's feet had widened, the gash in the stone even longer now than it had once been and he was relieved that none of his family had been struck with any stray bolts of lightning. Roughly ten metres behind where Voldemort had been was his body and Regulus' heart pounded as he hurried towards the downed wizard with his wand aloft.

His legs were shaky and his forehead was soaking wet by this point but Regulus knew he couldn't rest until he was sure Voldemort was dead. He had to know. There could be no peace if Voldemort still lived. Regulus needed to know if the past year of suffering had been worth it. He had to know if every broken sob or self-inflicted injury had been justified.

Unlike what Regulus had expected, Voldemort had not been reduced to a charred husk or a blackened stain on the ground. Instead, his body was covered in open sores and sickening burns. Patches of his robes had been melted into his skin and Regulus' eyes widened at the hand that Sirius had struck earlier. The weakened tissues of his hand had been destroyed, leaving behind a bloodied stump with pieces of skin and muscle left behind. Voldemort's face was pressed down into the ground, thus Regulus could not see if his chest were moving, but he did not care.

It was not considered noble to curse a wizard in the back or when they were unable to defend themselves but Regulus didn't _dare_ take any risks with someone as vicious and powerful as Voldemort.

With finality and immense satisfaction, Regulus pointed his wand at Voldemort's back and hissed, _"Avada Kedavra!"_ The jet of green light flew from Regulus' wand with certainty that he was proud of. The killing curse would only work if you meant it with _every_ fibre of your being and Regulus was certain that he wanted Voldemort dead more than anyone or anything he'd ever encountered. Although, a part of him had worried that he would not be able to do it. That he was still too weak and too scared to achieve more than a flicker of light if he dared to try his hand at the curse.

Relief filled him as Voldemort's body absorbed the curse without even a twitch of muscle and the realisation that the monster was really dead struck him. Regulus stumbled backwards as his breath hitched, making it a few quick steps before he connected with a hard chest. Without bothering to check who it was, Regulus turned and pressed his face into the man's chest. Wracking out a desperate sob, exhaustion overcame him and Regulus slumped in their arms as his eyes fluttered closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait - I actually rewrote the ending (originally a character we know and love died but I couldn't go through with it)
> 
> Anyway - I hope you all enjoyed this monstrosity! Regulus can finally rest, we love that for him <3 That is also why this chapter is named The Little King - a tribute to our darling Regulus!
> 
> There's not much to say except I appreciate every single one of you out there and I hope you liked this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it and it went through several rewrites and edits but I'm very much happy with the result!  
> <3 <3
> 
> Do tell me your thoughts, I love seeing your reactions! There's so little left of this fic now - I'm all tearful thinking about it!


	44. The Unwinding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcturus reflects, the boys recover and Dumbledore isn't the best but perhaps he isn't the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! Hopefully this is a good beginning of the end type of chapter for you all! Hope you all enjoy!

Early morning sunlight flooded through a large bay window, the golden glow highlighting the sharpness of Regulus Black's features, the pallor of his skin a devastating white and his lips dry and cracked. Arcturus Black stood with one hand clutching his cane as he gazed down at his unconscious grandson. When his youngest grandson had collapsed in his arms he had been frozen in terror before feeling the flutter of his pulse and he had almost sobbed in relief when he saw his other grandson nearby, alive and well. 

Arcturus could remember very clearly the day Regulus was born. He had been flattered but unsurprised when Orion had given the babe his name as his middle name. After little Sirius had taken his father's name, it would only make sense that the second born son would take the paternal grandfather's. Perhaps if another son had been born, Pollux too would have been honoured in such a way but as it stood, only his name had been used. 

Admittedly, he had been surprised by the use of Regulus for the child's first name. The first Regulus had been a bit of a sore spot for many members of the family. Arcturus himself had been fond of his younger brother, but he could admit that Regulus the first had been _unusual_ when compared with the rest of the Blacks. Walburga especially would have never approved of the man's lifestyle, much like how she always had been with Alphard. Regulus' namesake had been resolute on never marrying and it was only due to Arcturus' position as Heir that Regulus had never been disowned for his stubbornness. Therefore, Arcturus had been shocked that Walburga would choose such a man to name her son after.

Arcturus could also remember how very small Regulus had been and grief ignited within him as he gazed down at the boy that was still _so_ small. His eyes flickered over to Sirius who had refused to part from his brother and was now uncomfortably curled into a chair by Regulus' bedside. The codependency between the two was habitual at this point and Arcturus could not find it within himself to blame them for it. They had learned from an early age that they only had each other in this life and Arcturus knew that he would never be able to forgive himself for his neglect of these two beautiful boys. 

Running a hand through Regulus' hair, he resigned himself to waiting for his boy to get better. As much as he wanted to shake Regulus awake or enact a dark ritual to ensure that Regulus woke up as soon as possible, he knew it was best to let nature run its course. Madam Pomfrey had assured him that within _time,_ Regulus would awake and there would be no lasting damage as long as they took care of him properly.

The chair beside Sirius was also occupied and Arcturus couldn't help the fond smile that pulled at his lips at the sight of Remus Lupin, tense even in sleep as he stayed close to his promised one. Delight made his magic hum as he remembered glancing at the official tapestry to check his family were all well, he had been stupefied at the betrothal line that now connected his youngest grandson with Remus but he could not deny that the two were a beautiful couple. Clearly, Lupin was devoted as he too had refused to leave Regulus. It was only every so often when they would visit James, who was also confined to a bed although he was awake now, that the two boys ever left Regulus' side. Arcturus snorted softly as he remembered finding James Potter collapsed onto the floor beside Regulus' bed when the young man had awoken and sought out his friends, forgoing his own pain completely.

Arcturus sighed happily as he patted Regulus' soft hair. His boys were well taken care of, he knew. Not only by others but by each other. Arcturus had seen the righteous fury in his Heir's eyes when Regulus had passed out and the remaining Death Eaters had lost it at the feeling of their master's demise. One of the brave fools had even attempted to kill Regulus then and there when he had seen the boy passed out in Arcturus' arms. Thankfully, by that point, the few Aurors not fighting by their sides had appeared and he had been happy to hand off his grandson to one of his packmates in favour of dealing with them.

He knew of their side only he would have enough influence to ensure none of his family was persecuted for their actions. Arcturus had seen the state of some of the Death Eaters and he knew it would take every ounce of his political power to secure his family into the next generation. With a grimace, Arcturus could recall the state Amycus Carrow had been left in after Andromeda had unleashed her wrath upon him.

Sirius mumbled in his sleep and Arcturus chose to take his leave before the boys awoke. He had much to do anyway. The Ministry was still demanding answers and he groaned as he remembered Crouch's letter necessitating his attendance with the rest of the Wizengamot for an emergency session which could lead to an inquiry if he were not careful.

Arcturus gave Sirius a pitying glance, his grandson would soon be taking up the mantle of Lord Black and Arcturus knew his boy did not have the patience required just yet. As he left the room, Arcturus wondered what the sessions would be like with Sirius as Lord Black before he grimaced and banished the thought. 

Perhaps he should schedule some mock practice sessions to test Sirius' tolerance for the fools of the Ministry. It would not do for the Lord of House Black to go around hexing the other Lords that he disliked. 

With a quirk of his lips, Arcturus remembered just how many of the pureblood Lords and Heirs his grandson had fought mere days ago and decided that the imbeciles would hold their tongues around his Heir lest they lose their heads. 

\---

Regulus stared up at the inhuman creature before him with utter horror. How could this be? Regulus had been certain that he had done it, that he had finally succeeded in his mission and ended the cretin once and for all. Laid out casually on his throne, Voldemort gazed down at Regulus in wicked amusement as the younger man began to tremble.

"This cannot be," he whispered hoarsely at the sickening sight before him. "I killed you. You're dead."

"Ridiculous." Voldemort scoffed, waving a hand to show his lack of interest, "You truly believed that you could beat me?" The man's unnatural eyes glinted with manic glee. Voldemort leaned back casually in his throne, long fingers carelessly twirled his bone-white wand in his hand. "I told you, Regulus, you are nought but a child."

Regulus shook his head rapidly, "No- No, I saw your body. You died. I killed you. I got them all." He said adamantly as Voldemort's lips twisted into a mockery of a smile.

"Oh? Is that so?" Voldemort leaned closer, sliding off of his throne. The man stood, elegant in his stride as he prowled towards Regulus who swallowed thickly as Voldemort approached him. Up close, he was even more terrifying and Regulus' heart clenched in despair as the man pressed even closer so that they were almost touching. "Ah, Regulus. Sweet, stupid, naive little Regulus Black."

"Shut up-"

"Did you truly believe I would only make a handful of Horcruxes?" He whispered, lips curving into a smirk as Regulus' jaw dropped in horror. "I knew the whole time, little boy." He spat derisively as he looked Regulus up and down, "Such a pitiful excuse for a wizard. I followed your progress from the moment you stepped foot into my cave, foolish child."

"No- No-" Regulus shook his head again, eyes wild as he stumbled backwards. The shadows around him pulsed, thickening with malice as they wrapped around him. "No-"

"Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket, Ravenclaw's diadem-" Voldemort listed off casually, "Ostentatious, no? Not very inconspicuous, you would agree. Why on Earth would I use only the most noticeable of items?" He questioned with a smirk on his thin lips. Regulus' hands trembled as tears gathered in his eyes.

"You- You're lying, you're dead-"

"Yet, here I am." Voldemort sniped, "I must commend you for your efforts, it was certainly very entertaining to watch you and your little trio of Gryffindors run about the country. The fear, the desperation... How delicious." He purred, leaning in as if to inhale the scent of his prey.

Regulus choked on a sob as Voldemort waved a hand at the large doors behind him. The ornate wood crashed against the walls as a horde of Death Eaters came steaming into the room dragging their own burdens as they laughed merrily. Regulus clutched his chest in fear as he lurched forwards at the sight of the three figures that were thrown to the centre of the room. "No!" Regulus cried.

"Ah, finally." Voldemort hummed happily, "The entertainment has arrived." Voldemort grinned maniacally as Regulus sobbed. The three figures were all bound tightly by ropes with their mouths crudely sewn shut with thick black thread. Regulus' stomach churned at the wide-eyed fear in his boyfriend's eyes, the same look mirrored by his two brothers. They were covered in bruises and cuts, the pungent scent of blood and sweat was nauseating and Regulus gagged at the horrific sight of his pack so wounded.

"No..." Regulus whispered desperately as he fought to get closer. "No!" He begged, thrashing in the hold of the two large Death Eaters that appeared from the shadows to apprehend him. "Please! Siri! Moony!" He choked, "Jamie-"

Voldemort turned to him, a wicked grin in place as he raised his wand. "Bring me the blood-traitor." He smirked slightly as both James and Sirius glanced at each other from their places on the ground, "The one with the mudblood." He clarified.

"No!" Regulus screamed, fighting harder against the two Death Eaters who only laughed in response to his futile efforts. At once, James' body appeared by Voldemort's bare feet. James looked up at Voldemort hatefully, eyes sharp as he assessed the monster preying down upon him. Regulus slumped against the Death Eaters holding him as Voldemort casually raised his wand. 

Instead of the expected flash of red and ensuing screams of pain, a sickly stream of green light burst from Voldemort's wand and connected with his honorary brother's chest. Regulus' eyes widened as James' body collapsed completely, losing all strength as his thread was cut. The fervent struggling and determined glare had dissipated as soon as the light soared from Voldemort's wand and Regulus' mind struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.

"J-Jamie?" He gasped, "James?" He called. Voldemort turned to him with a smirk and Regulus' vision blurred from the tears in his eyes. 

The muffled shouting from his brother increased but Regulus couldn't focus on it. His train of thought spiralled as his body began to quiver. James couldn't be gone. That hadn't just happened right in front of his very eyes. It simply couldn't be true. Stubbornly, he sought out the bond he had with his pack and felt himself go numb when he realised he could no longer feel a thing. Not even a modicum of what had once been an unbreakable, lively tie between the two of them. 

"The wolf," Voldemort demanded. 

At those words, Regulus' mind kicked back into gear and he fought valiantly against the Death Eaters holding him. "Moony!"

Resolutely, Remus met his eye. There was a grim acceptance in his gaze as he slightly inclined his head. _It's okay,_ he could almost hear Remus whisper. Regulus shook his head adamantly as Voldemort once again raised his wand, aiming the tip at his boyfriend- no, his _fiance's_ chest before calmly whispering the incantation for the lethal curse. 

Another broken scream fell from Regulus before he even registered that Remus, just as James had, was now completely still on the ground. The torture of seeing his lovely fiance, the man he had desperately wished to marry, his hope for a happily ever after lifeless was too much for him. The physical pain of the bond between them severing was much more visceral this time and he screamed as he felt the bond as it now was, left open on one end, empty and sore. Heartbroken, he sobbed as Voldemort prowled closer to his brother. On the stone ground, Sirius still managed to look brave and fierce as he calmly met Voldemort's eye. Regulus let out another wail as Voldemort raised his wand for a final time.

"No- Siri-" Regulus begged, "Please, please take me instead." Regulus implored, "Please, _please,_ kill me, please."

"In due time, Black." Voldemort promised, "This, is what happens to traitors. Let this be a lesson to all of my dedicated followers, Lord Voldemort does not permit treachery." He said solidly. "How very tedious this has all been. Any last words, Black?" He asked, waving his wand to vanish the spell that held Sirius' mouth closed.

"No!" Regulus screamed, voice cracking at the end. 

"Go to hell." Sirius spat.

Voldemort exhaled softly, a smug, satisfied quirk of his lips in place as he murmured, " _Avada Kedavra_."

"Sirius!" Regulus cried, dropping harshly to the ground as the Death Eaters holding him back disappeared. Their cruel laughter faded into the background as he crawled to his brother's side, "Sirius, Sirius-" He whispered, patting his brother's cheek lightly. "No, please." He begged. Silver eyes roamed over to the other two bodies, "Jamie, Moony." He sobbed, "No. No." Regulus lifted a hand to his hair and tugged roughly as he saw their blank gazes. 

Empty grey eyes, glazed over hazel eyes and hollow amber eyes were all he could think of as he pulled on his hair. Grief-stricken, he rocked in place as he stared down at the three young men he loved more than he had ever thought possible. 

"No, no, no." He mumbled as he trembled, knees raised to his chest. "I'm so sorry." He sobbed, clawing at his own arms as he looked into James' once lively brown eyes that were now void of all life.

"This is your doing, Regulus Black," Voldemort spoke up from behind him. "You alone have caused this. Had you been a dutiful servant I would have spared you these three. Even the blood-traitor Potter and his mudblood whore. Or your pet wolf. I am a merciful Lord, I would have granted you their lives as a gift for your obedience."

Regulus' stomach dropped as he realised the truth of those words. This was his fault. It was he who had dragged his brother into this mess in the first place. From there, James and Remus, as the lovely and caring boys they were, had naturally wished to help. Regulus had been the one to embark on a ridiculous mission to try and take down Voldemort and now he must face the consequences of his actions.

"Siri, I'm so sorry, Sirius." Regulus wailed. "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me, brother." As he continued to cry brokenly, the Death Eaters around him began to laugh even louder. Even Voldemort, for once, happily joined in with the rest of his followers as they rejoiced over his tears. Regulus wept as the shadows around him began to twist. The bleak, emptiness he felt was reminiscent of what he had endured during his expedition to the cave. Oddly, it felt justified that he would be forced to feel as hopeless and lost as he had then. If he had just died in the cave, his brother would still be alive. James and Remus too would be untouched by Regulus' poisonous embrace and they would be free to live a happy life. Now, he had doomed them all.

There were no more words exchanged. The laughter slowly faded until Regulus looked up, eyes trailing from the pale feet in front of him until he met Voldemort's cold gaze. Without preamble, Voldemort raised his wand and in a flash of green, it was over.

Startled, Regulus lurched upwards as his eyes snapped open. Desperately, he heaved in a much-needed breath before choking on a sob. His brothers, his darling Remus, _gone,_ they were _gone_ and it was all _his_ fault. How could he have ever thought that Voldemort would be so easy to take down. The man was infinite in his power and yet Regulus had truly believed that he, a lowly school child, could take him.

Intaking another breath, Regulus' vision blurred as he tried to take in his surroundings. He didn't know where he was. Perhaps he was in muggle hell or some kind of strange in-between realm. He didn't know where someone as rotten as he would go in death. It was his fault that his two passionate and bright brothers were gone. It was his fault his lovely, wickedly brilliant Remus was no more. 

As he clutched at his own chest, Regulus caught a flicker of gold out of the corner of his eye and he froze. Turning sharply, his eyes widened as he focused on the familiar sight of a chocolate frog box that sat perched on his bedside table. Regulus blinked rapidly as he trailed his gaze further around the room and felt the mounting panic begin to dissipate as he realised where he was. Regulus moved his eyes back towards the chocolate frog box at his bedside and let out a shaky breath of relief as he realised what that meant.

_Sirius._ Sirius had been here. Sirius didn't hate him. Even better, Sirius was _alive._

Regulus expelled a drawn-out breath of relief as he snatched up the box and clutched it to his chest. Feeling outwards with his magic, Regulus could sense that presence of his pack nearby and shivered as a wave of exhaustion hit him. Squeezing his eyes shut, Regulus anxiously tried to force back images from his nightmare and instead focused on why he was currently too fatigued to do much more than turn his head.

The horrific scenes from the battle suddenly came to the forefront of his mind and Regulus tore the skin on his lip from biting down so hard when he remembered all of the blood and death he had witnessed. If he concentrated, he could almost imagine the haze of spellfire dancing behind his eyelids and he could almost taste the ash and smoke thick in his lungs as he tried to steady his breathing. Regulus gagged as he remembered his fight with one of the rogue werewolves and grimaced as he remembered seeing many comrades go down. 

"-ing you! I know what I felt!" The exasperated voice cut through Regulus' musings and he felt a rush of elation as he recognised the soft but firm tone of his fiance.

"I am not saying you didn't, Mister Lupin. Only, you are supposed to be resting and if the Matron comes back..." A nervous voice responded and Regulus frowned slightly in confusion. His mind still felt foggy and he wasn't quite sure what was going on. All he could focus on was the reassuring feel of the cardboard box in his hands as he reverently traced the edges with his fingertips.

"I don't care! I'm not about to sit in bed now that I know he's awake."

"What's all this racket?" Regulus heard Lily's usually gentle northern accent cut in sharply. "People are trying to sleep, Remus. It's barely six in the morning!"

"I don't have time for this." Remus' voice was much fainter before he heard hurried footsteps outside of his room. Regulus blinked slowly as his magic livened, bubbling under his skin as his mate came closer. The momentary delight he felt at recognising this faded as he probed his magic further. He had always been especially sensitive to magic and he was unhappy to realise that his core felt different than the last time he had been awake. 

"Mister Lupin! Do not go in there, please!" The young male's voice sounded again, this time much more desperate than meek.

Without truly understanding the situation, Regulus allowed himself a moment of amusement as the door to his room swung open. As much as Remus was a rule follower, people tended to forget that he was a Marauder as much as his brothers were and Regulus knew Remus was often the mastermind behind their more audacious pranks. He had known that Remus wouldn't listen and he inwardly preened when his boyfriend appeared in his line of sight.

"Moony." Regulus breathed at the sight of his beautiful fiance. Remus looked just the same as when Regulus had last seen him; eyes a gentle shade of deep amber, hair tawny and skewed from his rush to reach Regulus' room and mouth set into a gentle smile as their gazes met. However, Regulus couldn't help but notice the exhausted state of his beloved. There were dark shadows under his eyes and his jaw was set as if Remus were especially tense. Regulus lifted a hand to cup his boyfriend's cheek and frowned at the few small scars dusting across his hairline and cheeks. Regulus traced a particularly fresh scar on his boyfriend's forehead with a tilt of his head.

"Werewolves," Remus murmured, copying his movements to cup Regulus' cheek. "You're awake." He whispered. Remus' shoulders turned slack with relief as if Regulus' state of consciousness had just brought him eternal peace. 

"Moony. Remus." Regulus mumbled, bringing his thumb down to Remus' soft lips. "I'm sorry. I had to." 

Remus' jaw tensed again and Regulus knew if he were feeling better, Remus wouldn't hesitate to lecture him or start an argument about him being reckless again. The softness of his eyes betrayed his happiness however so Regulus knew he was safe. For the meanwhile, at least. 

"I know, love. I just wish it wasn't always you." Remus laughed dryly, "It's always bloody _you."_

"I'd rather it be me than any of you," Regulus replied easily.

Remus snorted, eyes glazing with tears and he pressed his face into Regulus' hand. "I love you."

"Love you," Regulus whispered, sniffling as he leaned forward to press a kiss to Remus' forehead. "What happened after?" He requested, the fog clearing from his mind as familiar awareness overtook him. It felt much like it did whenever they would embark on a Horcrux hunt, his senses awakened and sharpened into a crystal clear focus. Regulus fought back the urge to dissolve into noisy tears in his boyfriend's arms as he remembered his awful nightmare and instead raised his chin and glared at Remus who seemed uncertain.

"I- Wait, I probably _should_ have waited." Remus murmured, "You're still unwell. The Matron said your core had almost completely depleted. Any more and-" He cut himself off pointedly and Regulus' stomach dropped.

"Moony... I'm so sorry." He whispered. Regulus couldn't imagine how much his loved ones must have worried about him while he was unconscious and he knew he would be grovelling for forgiveness for weeks once they'd all gotten over the thrill of seeing him awake at last. 

Remus straightened and cracked his neck uncertainly. "Later. I get to yell at you for being so- so-" He huffed, nostrils flaring. "-but later. Let me just take a minute. I didn't see everything that happened. Where do you want to start?"

Regulus frowned but complied with his boyfriend's wishes. Humming to himself, he thought about where was best before his breath hitched. "Narcissa?" He asked desperately. "Is she alright?"

"Oh," Remus breathed, "Yeah, she's fine. I mean, not _great,_ but she will be in time. Her torso is pretty scarred but - surprisingly - Malfoy's not left her bedside at all. Poppy said we were lucky that Ted's a bloody good healer else she wouldn't have made it. We've got him to thank for saving not only her but James too."

"Jamie?" Regulus whispered as he tightened his grip on the box in his hands. The relief he had felt from hearing of his cousin's recovery dissipated and nausea curled in his throat as his heart began to race, "Is he- I mean, he's alive, isn't he?" James couldn't be gone. Now that the haze of his nightmare had mostly left him, he could feel the bond thriving between them. But alive didn't necessarily mean well and the few moments it took for Remus to gather his words made Regulus feel sick.

"He's well." Remus said grimly which did nothing to calm Regulus down, "It was touch and go for a bit. The bloody idiot threw himself in front of a particularly vicious bludgeoning hex aimed at Lils and it threw him into a building. Got a good whack on his head for it." Remus grimaced as if remembering something particularly awful, "It took both Ted and Lily working together to stabilise him."

Regulus crushed a corner of the box as he gripped it tightly. "A-And Siri?" 

"Oh, he's fine," Remus said easily, waving a hand as he huffed out a slight laugh. "Of the survivors, only James, Narcissa and you were hit badly. Your uncle's going to have a permanent limp for the rest of his life and the Prewetts are all grieving pretty badly but they'll manage." He said solemnly. "Molly and Arthur wanted to thank you for dealing with Dolohov. Your aunt was very proud when they were removing the bodies and she saw your knife sticking out of his eye." Remus added with a sly quirk of his lips.

Regulus' cheeks darkened slightly and he pursed his lips as to not react. "No need to thank me. He was a monster." Regulus said sternly before his eyes widened and he gripped Remus' arm tightly, _speaking of monsters_ \- "Oh, Salazar. What about Greyback?"

For once, his boyfriend took on an especially smug visage. He straightened in his seat and his eyes were fierce as he met his stare unwaveringly, "Dead."

"You..." Regulus trailed off questioningly. When his boyfriend nodded, a satisfied dip of his head, Regulus gripped him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer for a fierce kiss. "I'm so proud of you." He mumbled against Remus' lips before rejoining their mouths hungrily.

Remus grinned into the kiss for a moment before eagerly responding. Regulus hummed as his boyfriend gently nipped at his lower lip and tangled his fingers in Remus' thick hair as he let their tongues meet.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" A terse voice called from the doorway, "Can you two keep your hands off of each other for more than five minutes?" 

Regulus pulled away from Remus with a blush already heating up his cheeks as he met his brother's unimpressed glare. The moment their eyes locked, Regulus tried to pull himself out of bed as the remnants of his dream caught up to him. Recognising his distress, his brother lessened his glare and instead hurried over to push him back into bed.

"Stay." Sirius huffed.

"No- No-"

"He had a nightmare." Remus piped up once Sirius turned to him with an accusing look. 

Regulus tightened his grip on Sirius' arm and frowned slightly, "How did you know that?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "I know you." He said easily and although Regulus' heart fluttered slightly, a snort from the doorway made him squint at Remus.

"We all felt it, love," James called as he stumbled into the room with an irate Lily helping him walk. "You reached out to us and woke us all up."

Regulus' eyes widened at the sight of James. Remus certainly hadn't been lying when he said James had been hit hard. His chest was thick with what Regulus could only assume were bandages whilst his left leg was barely supporting his weight and he was clearly favouring his right side. Regulus' heart lept into his throat at the scars and bruises he could see all over James' face and he was disheartened to notice the same was true for Lily and Sirius.

"Don't you dare," Sirius cuffed him on the chin, "We're all doing fine. You're the one that's been unconscious for almost a week now."

"Again?" He scowled down at the bed as he fought the urge to argue back with his brother. This was all his fault, his brother surely knew that.

"Yes." Sirius scowled before flicking him on the forehead, "When are you going to stop getting in so much trouble, eh?"

James grinned maniacally, "Well! Now that old Voldie is dead and buried-" Regulus gasped loudly and clapped a hand to his mouth and James only continued to smile widely, "-he's got no reason to be putting himself in danger anymore."

"H- He's really gone?" Regulus whispered.

Remus squeezed his shoulder, "You did it, love."

"Your grandfather had the Ministry round up what was left of the Death Eaters." Lily piped up, giving him an anxious smile. Understandable, they were friends but not as close as the rest of them were. Sitting by his bedside while he had an emotional reunion with his loved ones was likely a little awkward for her. 

Sirius hummed, "We even checked Lucy's mark. It's completely scarred over." His brother gave him a proud grin, "You really did it, little star!"

Regulus expelled a breath, allowing a small smile to overtake him. "I did, didn't I?"

"Don't let it go to your head." Remus teased. "I've had my work cut out for me for years with these two," He said, gesturing to James and Sirius, "I don't need any more egotistical bastards in my life." 

"So rude." James sniffed. "Here I am, a saviour, a hero, a brave warrior for our country and yet-"

Lily pinched the skin on the back of his hand to make him yelp, "Pack it in, Potter."

"Yes, my flower." James nodded serenely. Regulus blinked at James, squinting as he noticed the slight glaze to his eyes and sent Lily a questioning look. The witch only smirked and pointed to the potions neatly stacked beside his bed and he groaned as his brother zeroed in on them.

"C'mon, ickle brother." Sirius clapped his hands as he snatched up the first vial. "Drink up."

Regulus glared at him angrily for a moment until Remus smoothed out the crease between his brows with his thumb. "We've been really worried about you, Reg. You just dropped and Pomfrey said you could have drained yourself completely if you'd even done a simple _Lumos."_ Remus murmured in his ear. Regulus saw a grief-stricken look flicker over his brother's face and he was certain James would have mirrored the expression had he not been influenced by the healing potions.

With a grimace, Regulus stroked his hand and took the vial from Sirius' grasp. "Thank you, Siri." He muttered as he drank the potion. 

"Nothing to worry about, Reggie." Sirius grinned, forcing an easy-going look onto his face that didn't fool any of them for a moment but Regulus appreciated the effort.

After he had drunk all of the potions, Regulus straightened and allowed Remus to fluff his pillows before leaning against them heavily. The potions left him feeling slightly dazed and a little like he was floating but altogether he felt alright. Although, James seemed to feel a lot looser than he did as he was lounging in his chair with a contented smile on his face.

"Madam Pomfrey gave him a rather hefty dose." Lily grimaced when she noticed him surveying James uncertainly. The witch pulled another face before patting her boyfriend's hand. "It's the only thing keeping him from being stuck in bed like you are."

"That bad?" Regulus asked softly. At the knowing glances passed between them, he cleared his throat. "Could someone inform me of what happened while we were dealing with Voldemort? How did James..." He trailed off as he determinedly looked away from the walking stick by James' side.

Lily sighed and pulled some of her hair out of her eyes with slightly watery eyes, "When the Death Eaters realised both Bellatrix and Greyback were dead, they sort of lost it." She huffed. Regulus had an inkling that lost it was an understatement. "It was even worse when they realised Voldemort was at a bit of a stalemate with you four."

Remus nodded, squeezing Regulus' hand reassuringly. "They tried to break into the building Ted had sectioned off for healing. Luckily, some had only suffered a few cuts or bruises and were still well enough to fight but others..."

"They managed to break one of the windows open." Lily's hands fluttered anxiously as she bit her lip. "Some... Some of the people being healed were left vulnerable."

"Who?" Regulus demanded.

Sirius patted his shoulder, "Maybe we should leave this until you're feeling a bit better."

"Tell me." He insisted. "I'm fine."

Remus stroked his arm, "Marlene and Dorcas were hit pretty bad with the Cruciatus." He said solemnly. "Thankfully, that's when James and Lily turned up so they weren't under for too long but they'll have some nerve damage for a while. Marls is honestly more upset that she can't play Quidditch for a good few months 'til she's healed up." He added with a strained smile.

Regulus nodded slowly, jaw clenching at the thought of his best friend being held under such a despicable curse. "Who did we lose?"

His brother sighed, "For the most part, we got off easy." Sirius shook his head in a bewildered manner, "We suffered a few losses, of course. Frank's struggling with losing his dad and I'm sure Moony already told you about the Prewetts and the Weasleys." He grimaced when Regulus dipped his head sadly, "Aunt Lucretia's gone too... Ignatius actually threw himself in front of a curse meant for Arthur."

"Ignatius too?" Regulus whispered. He had seen his aunt's deceased body laid out on the battlefield but he had not known that her husband had died too. Regulus swallowed thickly as he realised that at least three of the Prewetts were now gone and he squeezed his eyes shut as he thought of the devastating loss the family must be experiencing.

"James and I saw it happen." Lily murmured, "It was right near the end... I don't think he was thinking clearly... he seemed like he wasn't in the right state of mind."

Sirius sent Lily a look but Regulus waved his concern off and smiled at her. He was glad she was honest with him and he knew it must have been hard to witness. A part of Regulus wondered if he could have done something to save Fabian and fought down the urge to tug at his own hair in frustration. Just as he had begun to make progress, they had been forced to endure an awful battle and now Regulus felt much like he had the previous year.

"What else?" He asked hoarsely. 

"The werewolves weren't too happy that Moony ended Greyback." James piped up, head tilted sleepily but his eyes seemed livelier which soothed something within Regulus.

"Understatement," Sirius grumbled. Regulus frowned at his brother who shrugged, "Moony looks alright now but you should have seen him when we got back here." He shook his head at Remus over the top of Regulus' head and he whipped around to face his boyfriend. Remus dropped the vicious glare he had been sending Sirius and instead smiled sheepishly at Regulus. "He's going to find out eventually," Sirius added.

"I was hoping to save that little detail until he was better, you prat." Remus hissed. "It's nothing to worry about, love. Just a few scratches."

Regulus traced a thick, jagged scar on Remus' cheek with a wobbly pout forming on his mouth. "You... How many?"

"A whole bloody pack by the sounds of it," Sirius growled. "They all went off on one when they realised their Alpha or whatever was dead."

"Not everyone." Remus snapped. "Pack hierarchy dictates that I am the Alpha as I am the one that challenged Greyback and won. Most of them respected that and left-"

"Ran with their tails between their legs!" James piped up happily and Regulus couldn't help but smile softly at the boy that was now his brother. 

Lily bit back a smile and patted his leg, "Yes, dear."

"Yeah." Remus nodded before diverting his attention back to Sirius. "So, no, you arse, it was not a whole pack. Stop trying to stress him out." He hissed.

"I'm not! You were taking on at least four at once!" Sirius snapped back. "You can't lie to Reggie. That's not conducive to a lasting marriage."

Regulus blinked in confusion and turned to his boyfriend with an eyebrow raised. Remus pursed his lips and slumped his shoulders, "He found out."

"Ah." Regulus nodded and flicked his brother on his forehead. "You approve, of course?"

Sirius scowled, grumbling to himself before nodding churlishly. "Whatever. Should have told me first."

Lily gave him an incredulous stare, flicking her gaze between Remus and Sirius before throwing her hands up. _"This_ is why you two have been at each other's throats for the past few days? I thought it was something serious!"

James groaned and stretched out in his chair, wincing as his joints clicked slightly. "They're both stupid. Told you, red, _I'm_ the brains of the group."

"You two have been arguing about this?" Regulus seethed, "While we're in the aftermath of a war? You two thought it best to scrap over something as ridiculous as this?"

"It's not me!" Remus insisted. "Your brother's the one that lost it when he found out! I've been trying to tell him we didn't keep it from him on purpose but he's convinced-"

"You should have told me!"

"It's none of your business, you bloody prat." Regulus snapped, throwing the chocolate frog box in his face and huffing when Sirius squawked indignantly. "It's not like we've picked out rings and a venue already."

"It is custom for the father-" Sirius paused and Regulus felt his left eye twitch as he stared his brother down, adamantly ignoring the ache in his heart as he thought of Orion. He mouthed silently for a moment before wincing, "Pureblood custom dictates that the closest family member must be asked for permission before the heads of both houses get together to draw up a contract, negotiate the terms and settle any payments to be made through a dowry." Sirius said hurriedly, "All I'm saying is that Remus could have _at least_ asked me before asking you!"

"I'm my own person!" Regulus reminded him, "Remus doesn't need your permission to ask me to marry him."

"Wizards are mad." Lily murmured, "I can't imagine people marrying this young in the muggle world."

Sirius waved a hand, "My uncle Cygnus was married before he left Hogwarts and the contract between Lucius and Andromeda had been in the works since Andy was in the cradle." He said blithely, "It's not that uncommon."

"Those are both very poor examples." Lily pointed out.

"It's different." Regulus added, "Remus and I actually love each other. Cissa and Lucius were pushed together when Andy ran away and they were both still in school. Sometimes it leads to a complete disaster, but not always."

Remus nodded, trailing his thumb over the back of Regulus' hand. "Besides, nothing is set in stone yet. We just happened to mention it before the fight. But Godric forbid anybody do anything without first consulting his majesty Sirius Black-"

"Oh, will you shut it-"

"Both of you had better be quiet." Regulus snapped, "I've only just woken up and I'm already feeling a headache coming on."

"Through the potions?" Lily asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." He assured her. "But I won't be if these two imbeciles do not cease this ridiculousness."

Sirius gave him a wounded look, "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"Siri, it happened right before the battle. I didn't even know if we'd all survive! What would be the point in telling you?" Regulus said gently. "I love you, brother, I really do. But I _am_ my own person."

"I know. But I don't like that you didn't tell me because you didn't think you were going to survive." Sirius grumbled, "Did you plan that stunt at the end?"

"Of course not." Regulus snapped, "I tell you all of my plans. Unlike some people, I could mention." He said pointedly.

Sirius scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh, oh yes. About that-" 

"Save it." Regulus waved a hand. There was no use being upset. He understood perfectly well why they'd ensured he was kept from Voldemort until the end and now that the battle had ended, he was just glad they had made it out almost unscathed. "It's done. I'm over it. Now, will you stop moping and being nasty to my fiance?" 

Sirius pulled a face at the title but nodded. "I get to be your best man, though."

"Obviously." He rolled his eyes. 

Remus snapped his fingers, "Oh, I knew I'd forgotten something. James, be mine?"

James pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and gasped, "Oh, stars. Remus, this is so sudden, I don't know if I can make such a commitment-"

"Lily?"

"Of c-"

"No! I am!" James whined. "I'll be the greatest best man to ever be."

"Tough luck, mate. 'Cause, that's going to be my title." Sirius said plainly as he leaned back in his chair. 

"Let us move on." Regulus pleaded. "There are more pressing matters at hand."

"You are certainly correct, son."

Arcturus Black strode into the room with his head held high although Regulus felt a sinking feeling in his stomach at the pallor of his grandfather's skin. The man looked every bit his age and Regulus wondered if he too had pushed himself too far in the fight against Voldemort. His cane was held in a grip far too tight to be comfortable and his wrinkles seemed far more pronounced. Regulus couldn't help but be ecstatic to see him, however. His grandfather had become a treasured member of his circle and Regulus had feared that his old age would inhibit him in the fight but evidently, that was not the case.

"We have much to discuss." Grandfather said solemnly, giving the others in the room a critical look. Regulus knew before he even opened his mouth that he was debating on how to ask them to leave in a polite way and he thanked his boyfriend's cognisance as he straightened in his chair and met Lily's eye.

"I think we should contact Madam Pomfrey," Remus said pointedly. Lily blinked before perking up and carefully helping James stand. 

"I agree. She won't be happy when she realises Regulus is awake and she hasn't been told." Lily said dryly, giving a winning smile to Arcturus who inclined his head gratefully in return. Regulus was appreciative that neither of them seemed too insulted. For all that Grandfather had progressed in the past year, he was still an incredibly private man and if there were matters he would rather not discuss with those detached from the family, Regulus was willing to yield on his desire to keep his packmates close by.

When the three had left - after some struggling from a confused James - Arcturus lowered himself heavily into the chair Remus had vacated by his bedside. Opposite their grandfather, Sirius was fidgeting restlessly as he waited for the man to begin speaking. After Grandfather continued to dither, Sirius' already thin patience snapped.

"Well?" His voice was tight, "Out with it."

Grandfather's eyes narrowed slightly at the impertinent tone but did not hesitate for much longer. "First, I would like to congratulate you both. All we have worked for in the past year, all we have sacrificed, has come to fruition. Voldemort has been defeated once and for all. On behalf of the entire wizarding community, I must thank you, boys."

"Don't look at me," Sirius laughed, "It was all Reggie! He's the sole reason we were able to do any of this, the little genius." He said proudly.

"Quite." Grandfather said amusedly, "I do believe it was also his use of elemental magic that overpowered Voldemort in the end."

Regulus' face burned with heat at his brother's words and his grandfather's pleased tone. They were both truly proud of him. But how could they be? It was his fault that so many innocent muggles had died in Voldemort's rage-fuelled raids and it was he who was to blame for the fight in Carkitt Market that had claimed the lives of many of their side - including his own aunt! 

"I- I can't take the credit for that, my lord," Regulus murmured uncertainly. "It was Kreacher who saved my life, to begin with. If it were not for his actions, I would have died and none of this would have been possible. As for the Horcrux hunt itself, Sirius, James and Remus were just as eager to participate and if I had been alone I doubt I would have been able to achieve as much as we did-"

"Nonsense." Grandfather clicked his cane against the ground with a sharp tap, "You, my dear grandson, are a hero. The wizarding world rejoices thanks to your sacrifices. The streets have already been filled with wixen bustling about - they are raising toast after toast in your name!"

Regulus' eyes widened, "Wh- Huh?" He spluttered unintelligently. _Toasts?_ To _him_ of all people?

Sirius threw his head back and laughed, "Reggie, you should see the number of letters and gifts we've been sent already! All of them addressed to Regulus Black - the saviour of the wizarding world." He said grandly with an effervescent wave of his hand.

Regulus' jaw dropped as his grandfather made an unimpressed noise. "I have already had all of them diverted to a vault in Gringotts. An extra-large vault, in fact. The sheer number of letters has overwhelmed the elves."

"The elves?" Regulus asked with a confused tilt of his head.

Grandfather sighed, "Although the vast majority of our populace is overjoyed, there are of course a few sympathisers that are none too happy with the man who felled Voldemort."

"The elves have been checking all of the letters and gifts in case you wanted to look at them." Sirius clarified, "There's already been a few incidents of bubotuber pus or hexed envelopes." His lips twisted angrily as he worked out a crick in his neck, "But we're prioritising rounding up the rest of the Death Eaters and the few sympathisers that have sent cursed items. Kreacher almost lost an ear to a bewitched lamp that sprouted teeth."

Regulus frowned but decided to let it go. Although, he would have to remember to check in with his little friend at a later date. For now, Regulus had a feeling his grandfather had more he wished to say. The elder man proved him right when his shoulders tensed and shifted uncomfortably. Regulus decided to be patient as his grandfather's age lines became even more pronounced and the muscle in his cheek twitched.

"Albus Dumbledore has inserted himself into the situation," Grandfather said decidedly. Regulus couldn't help but wince even though he was not terribly surprised by his grandfather's words. Even Sirius, who was rather disinterested in politics, only thinned his lips and stared at Grandfather as he readied himself to speak. "It is to be expected. However, his presence raises many questions."

"I can't imagine the light warriors are too happy about the pile of bodies they've got to burn." Sirius snorted, stretching his legs out and kicking them up to rest on Regulus' bed. 

Grandfather gave Sirius a stern look, "It does not help that some members of this family were a little too voracious in their hunger for blood."

Regulus' lips twitched as he thought about Aunt Cassiopeia. Sirius snickered, "My apologies." The cheeky grin on his face showed how truly unrepentant his brother was and Regulus was amused to note that their grandfather did not seem the slightest bit surprised by Sirius' attitude.

A weary expression appeared on his face suddenly, "Dumbledore is eager in his inquiries. I do not doubt that if he had his way, there would be a full Ministry mandated trial as well as a thorough investigation into every member of this family and their associates. He does not trust us or our motives."

"Voldemort's dead! What more could that old codger want?" Sirius spat derisively. "We've just ended a bloody war for him! Reggie almost died and we don't even get so much as a thank you! No, instead, he wants to summon us for some ridiculous meeting."

"A meeting?" Regulus' brows puckered at the thought. He could not recall the last time he had ever spoken to Albus Dumbledore - if he ever had. There had been a time where his packmates had needed to endure a meeting with the man and he was certain when he inevitably returned to Hogwarts, he'd be picked apart instantly. It was even worse now that he was supposedly the saviour of the wizarding world, a pseudonym that made his teeth ache and his stomach curl uncomfortably. He hated the idea of being the centre of attention. As a Black, he was used to such a thing, but it always made him uncomfortable regardless of how much he had endured the probing stares of his family or associates for years.

"Either at the manor or in his office." Grandfather's lip curled, "I refuse to allow that man entry into my home. We must acquiesce to his ludicrous requests unless we are prepared for another war, this time with the _previous_ saviour of the wizarding world."

"Can't imagine who the public would side with," Sirius said thoughtfully as he scratched his chin, "Reggie defeated Voldemort, but he's still a Black and prejudices run deep. While Dumbledore's a legend in the wizarding world, he hasn't done much for the war effort this time around. Not in comparison to us. Tricky."

"Quite." Grandfather hummed, "For those reasons, I am unwilling to tempt the fates."

"When did you say the meeting is?" Sirius frowned.

"I shall have to set the date. I was waiting for Regulus to be well again. The Ministry has already asked their questions but for the most part, they are willing to overlook our methods in favour of celebrating Voldemort's demise. Having Dumbledore off our backs can only be good for us. Achieving such a thing will be near impossible, however."

Sirius groaned and let his head fall back, "Bloody old wanker." He grumbled, "Can't just enjoy my free time now that I'm a war hero. No, I have to deal with that fool."

Grandfather snorted, "It is nice to see you are as unchanged as ever."

Regulus finally pulled himself out of his brief nightmare in which he realised his classmates were going to be an absolute headache at school. He shook his head and focused back on his brother with narrowed eyes before glaring over at his grandfather.

"Would either of you like to explain to me why my carefully thought out plan was thrown away and bastardised into a haphazard mess?" He may understand why they did it, but he would certainly enjoy making them squirm for a bit until he got over it.

The two other men blinked once before grimacing. Regulus pursed his lips, folding his hands over his abdomen as he stared them both down in turn. Sirius cleared his throat and shifted, giving innocent eyes to their grandfather who bristled uncomfortably. 

"Well..." Grandfather stood, snapping his cane distinctly against the tile. "I best be off. Meetings to arrange, Ministry personnel to bribe, funerals to manage. I'm sure you boys understand. Good day." Grandfather smiled thinly before making as hasty an exit as one of his years could.

Sirius gaped after him for a moment before turning betrayed eyes onto Regulus who only raised a brow pointedly. 

"Have I mentioned how lovely it is to see you awake?"

\---

Albus Dumbledore sat imperiously behind his desk as he stared over half-moon gold wire glasses to stare at them inquisitively. The colour of his robes was a shockingly bright magenta while the long, pointed white beard twitched slightly as he continued to scrutinise them with aged yet clever blue eyes. Regulus felt much like a very fascinating creature that was being studied or put on display to be pointed and gawked at.

In the days since he had awoken, Regulus had been confined to his bed. As he gained back mobility of his body, only suffering from fatigue if he moved too much, Regulus had chosen to stay within the manor as opposed to going out and facing the crowds of exuberant wixen that were enjoying their post-war life.

His brothers had both needed to finalise their paperwork with the Ministry and get the final preparations ready for their Auror training as it had understandably been pushed back slightly. A healer had also needed to sign off that both boys were ready and fit to actually participate in the vigorous routines of the Aurors. Thankfully, James' body was as stubborn as he was and he had made a full recovery, as had Sirius. 

Regulus carefully inclined his head to Dumbledore who had barely taken his eyes off of him from the moment he had entered the room. Either side of him, Sirius and Remus settled into their own seats. James took the chair at the end on Remus' right while Lord Black stayed closest to the door on Sirius' left side. The continuous staring was more than a little unnerving and Regulus was relieved when Dumbledore opened his mouth.

"Lord Black," Dumbledore inclined his head, "It is a pleasure to see you again. I must thank you for your punctuality. Dealing with school children all year, I am rather unused to such promptness. I am sure you can commiserate with me there." He said jovially, tilting his head in the direction of the four young men in the room.

Grandfather did a commendable job masking his irritation at the man opposite them and returned Dumbledore's sharp gaze with a thin smile. To Regulus, it was quite clearly his fake smile and he only hoped that Dumbledore did not see through it as easily as he did. "It is good to see you outside of the Wizengamot for once."

Dumbledore's moustache wiggled slightly in delight, "Ah, I must agree." Dumbledore smiled over at Sirius, dragging his eyes along the line until he reached James. "Boys, it is very good to see you all in good health." The slightly pointed remark made James and Remus shift uncomfortably, but Sirius and Regulus were much more used to handling these particular conversations. 

"Headmaster," Sirius spoke first. It had been a very clear choice on Dumbledore's part to ignore Sirius' stance as Heir Black, as well as James' title. While they were his students, such a thing could be waved away but now that they were adults in wizarding society, the distinctions should have been used. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Although, I do wish my brother had been allowed more time to recover. He has been through _quite_ the ordeal." 

Regulus refrained from closing his eyes in exasperation. Sirius truly could not resist any opportunity to antagonise those he did not like. The day Sirius took over the family would be one for the history books, he already knew his brother would be getting into many verbal spats with the stiff purebloods he had always despised.

Although, if he thought about it, a large portion of them were either dead, in Azkaban or scrambling to ensure that they did not end up in a holding cell. Perhaps they would even be too frightened to say a bad word to his brother's face, James had already regaled the family with a very lengthy production of their trip to the Ministry. Supposedly, most of wizarding Britain were either in awe of them or terrified of just their names.

Dumbledore sagged slightly in his large chair, "Forgive me, I am merely curious as to how you managed to defeat Voldemort. This is not an interrogation, dear Regulus. You are free to leave as you wish."

A part of Regulus wanted to snap back that he could not do such a thing or else he would be inviting Dumbledore to do his own research, therefore having the old man hanging around and snooping in his business. Regulus did not doubt that even if they made an unbreakable vow to the man, he would still be inclined to do such a thing. It seemed that the only person Albus Dumbledore truly trusted was himself and to some extent, Regulus could understand why.

Instead of doing such a rash and childish thing, Regulus simply straightened and dipped his head. "All is well. I have full faith in the healers and their judgement. I will be well enough to attend Hogwarts and as long as I keep taking care of myself, I will even be able to continue playing Quidditch." He added, partially to keep things amicable and yet he also wanted Dumbledore to know that he _would_ be fulfilling his duties. Regulus would not be surprised if Dumbledore tried to have him resign or give his Head Boy badge over to one of his precious Gryffindors.

The man hummed, steepling his fingers as his blue eyes bore into Regulus' own. Regulus happily complied and returned the stare. There was not the slightest brush against his occlumency shields and Regulus knew the presence of the others would prevent Dumbledore from trying such a thing. Especially not while Lord Arcturus Black sat in the room with his astute eyes trained upon him.

"Fantastic!" Dumbledore smiled looking every bit the genial old man most perceived him to be but his fingers twitched slightly. "I had hoped you would be able to continue your stellar record on the pitch. As well as Head Boy this year! Horace has had you lined up for the position for many years - I'm sure he'll be just as thrilled as I am that you are up to the task."

"It is certainly good news." Grandfather nodded, "My grandson needs all the rest he can get, however, so I would appreciate if we could get down to business. I understand that you may have questions."

Dumbledore blinked slowly at Arcturus' brusqueness but recovered quickly. Regulus found it fascinating to watch the older wizard dither as he tried to think of a way to word his questions. Grandfather had made a statement by appearing with Regulus today and by allowing three others to join. To discuss private matters with James and Remus in the room sent the message that Arcturus Black had nothing to hide, not from them, two light leaning Gryffindors.

At last, Dumbledore tilted his head and straightened. "I shall be succinct then." The genial fondness disappeared from his voice and Regulus could see why so many were willing to follow his lead in a war. Dumbledore may appear kindly and unassuming, but Regulus could never forget that he too had tackled a Dark Lord and won. Before this day, Regulus had never personally been able to appreciate just how powerful Dumbledore was, but the steel in his tone was unmistakable.

"Please." Grandfather gestured with the hand not holding his cane, "Do so."

"While I must commend you, dear Regulus, I do not believe that Voldemort is gone for good." Dumbledore began gravely, "Tom Riddle was always an exceptionally powerful and more importantly, ambitious student of mine. I believe it unlikely that he did not take measures to ensure his survival."

Regulus felt something dangerous within him flare to life at the old man's words. Not only had Dumbledore just proven to him that he _did_ know of Tom Riddle's identity, but he had also proven that he knew of the Horcruxes permanence. At the very least, Dumbledore suspected the Horcruxes existed and yet he had not done a thing about it.

"There are ways of assuring one's immortality. I am sure you are aware, Lord Black, that such magic is terribly dark and therefore very difficult to discover without guidance. Often, such rituals are obscure or have fallen out of favour over the years, but some still practise the dark arts regardless of the wickedness involved." Dumbledore said wisely. Regulus was unsure whether his words were supposed to be a jab at those in the room that quite clearly did dabble in the dark arts. 

After Dumbledore's declaration, the room was plunged into silence. The odd little contraptions and items on Dumbledore's shelves whirred and clacked oddly with seemingly no reason. The portraits of old Headmasters grumbled, gossiped and snoozed in their frames while Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, pecked at some stray feathers and preened as he noticed Remus' mesmerised gawking. 

Once Dumbledore seemed to realise that none of the boys was particularly moved by his words, he deflated slightly. "Am I to assume you already knew this?" When they all continued to stare, Dumbledore removed his glasses and began clearing the lenses with a cloth he summoned. His tone was only slightly incredulous which was a testament to his befuddlement. Not only was Dumbledore a man entrenched in politicking with bigoted old men, but he was also a teacher used to dealing with whiny and annoying teenagers. Therefore, it stood to reason that he was good at masking his true emotions and Regulus couldn't help but feel immensely satisfied that they had managed to truly bewilder Albus Dumbledore.

Regulus watched the man opposite him before coming to a decision. There was no part of Regulus that wished to befriend this man, nor did he wish for them to become allies or anything beyond acquaintances. However, Regulus knew that while Dumbledore had made mistakes and was clearly blinded by his own beliefs, he truly did have good intentions at his core. It would also be unwise to make an enemy out of such a powerful man and although a part of Regulus was viciously pleased to see Dumbledore squirm, he knew it was best to tread lightly.

There was no need to make an unnecessary adversary out of Albus Dumbledore. Regulus had only just finished dealing with one egomaniac on a power trip, he did not wish to deal with another.

"They have _all_ been destroyed," At last, Regulus spoke, voice soft but firm. Instantly, Dumbledore's fingers froze around his glasses and Regulus could detect a faint tremor in his aged hands.

Dumbledore's pale blue eyes were wide, the lines on his face making him appear even gaunter and worn out than he was. "Truly?" He questioned gently. There was only a slight hint of uncertainty and Regulus was surprised that Dumbledore did not seem to have more questions. Perhaps he had realised that he did not always know best, after all, perhaps he recognised that his age and experience did not make him infallible.

"You have my word." Regulus insisted, hoping to soothe any doubt the man may have. 

The creases on Dumbledore's face smoothed out after a moment of hesitation. "You say all." Dumbledore pointed out as he relaxed in his chair. Risking a glance to his side, Regulus noticed how tense his family were and decided to keep taking the lead. This was difficult for both James and Remus, their original loyalties had been to Dumbledore after all and he understood how awkward it was for them. As for his relatives, they were upset that Regulus was facing such a poorly veiled interrogation in the first place.

"Correct. Five, in total. We believe he was hoping for at least one more." Regulus let the disgust coat his words as he raised his chin defiantly at Dumbledore's surprised look. 

"Seven," Dumbledore murmured, hands clenching around his glasses anxiously before he carefully placed them back to balance atop his crooked nose. "I truly must thank you, Regulus. You have done this country a great service." He said, an air of detachment to his words as the information sunk in.

Regulus knew not to take it to heart. If he were in Dumbledore's position, he'd probably be more than a little sceptical that a teenager had managed more in a year than he had in a decade. It was also extremely unnerving to be confronted with the proof that a wizard would go so far to assure their immortality. Now more than ever, Regulus believed that Dumbledore had heavily suspected that the Horcruxes existed and he couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't done anything. The narrow-eyed, suspiciously probing look he sent Dumbledore must have made that clear as Dumbledore sagged in his seat.

"You must understand, I had hoped that Tom would not go to such extremes." Dumbledore's face was lined with grief, a regretful frown tugging the corners of his lips downwards. "There was once a time when Tom Riddle had the world at his fingertips. A remarkably bright boy yet such anger and hatred boiled inside of him. I had too much faith in him, I let him deceive those around him all while harbouring my suspicions to myself. I see now that was a mistake."

"Too right," Sirius growled, "He went on to become a mass-murdering psychopath!"

Dumbledore bowed his head, "I did not think him capable of such atrocities. I had my doubts from the moment I saw the child. Such hostility, even as a boy. I was the one to give him his Hogwarts letter, you see."

Regulus could admit that he had not expected that. He blinked rapidly through the shock before smoothing out his features, "You must have known. A part of you must have."

"I did worry," Dumbledore admitted, "Yet, as I do with all my students, I prefer to give them the opportunity to grow. In all my years, I have seen many children from terrible backgrounds. Victims of abuse, orphans left in a world completely alone, and yet Tom Riddle to this day remains an outlier." Dumbledore mused and if Regulus did not know any better, he would say Dumbledore sounded almost proud of this fact.

"How so?" James questioned, quiet but severe. 

Dumbledore sighed, dabbing a handkerchief across his forehead. "There was always something strange about him. Even the muggles at the orphanage were at odds with young Tom. That in itself is strange. Magical children are often picked apart from muggles, there will always be a giveaway of sorts. It is usually only with those that follow a muggle religion that problems begin to arise. However..." Dumbledore trailed off, looking far over Regulus' shoulder as if in deep thought.

"However, they _feared_ him." Dumbledore mused, "They did not fear his potential, they did not fret over what his existence could mean. They feared what he _did_ to them." A wrinkled hand clenched atop the desk, "I should have known. Perhaps if I had been more of a mentor to him I could have swayed him away from the darkness."

"It is of no fault of your own that the boy decided to pervert his soul," Arcturus said bluntly, lips pursing as he scrutinised the elder man. "What's done is done. Tom Riddle has been put to rest and now we must rebuild what he tore down."

Dumbledore blinked slowly, clearly recognising the sharp tone which would not suffer any nonsense. It appeared as if he was tempted to say more, to argue back or continue this discussion into more dangerous territory but clearly thought better of it. There was no need to create more enemies for himself, not now that the wizarding world was finally in a position to gain true peace.

"Of course," he said at last, "My apologies."

"You did not tell others of your suspicions." Remus murmured, "You saw what happened after the Prophet leaked Voldemort's true heritage. Why did you never say anything before?" Regulus' heart ached and he couldn't resist the urge to support his beloved. Gently, he laid a hand over Remus' to soothe him. The hint of betrayal in Remus' voice hurt to hear and the sad smile Dumbledore sent him did little to comfort him.

Wearily, Dumbledore sighed. "I did not know just how far his supporters would go for him. I admit it was a risk. Evidently, a risk I should never have taken."

Sirius shook his head, lip curled. "Even Bella wouldn't have willingly followed a half-blood. If we'd have known before-" 

"I see that now," Dumbledore said after Sirius cut himself off. "Perhaps it is for the best that you boys took matters into your own hands," Dumbledore added solemnly.

"If these four have taught me anything it is that the determination and ingenuity of our youths are unmatched." Grandfather tilted his head, unwilling fondness coating his words.

Dumbledore's lip twitched slightly though his eyes were still sad. "It is for those reasons I do so miss being a teacher. Interacting with the students is nigh impossible from up in my tower. I only ever get to speak with them when there is grave news or punishments to be given." He said pointedly looking at the Marauders. 

Regulus felt some of his unyielding dislike for Dumbledore dwindle slightly. No, the man was not perfect and he was certainly never going to be on Regulus' good side. But perhaps it was time he let some of his childish stubbornness go. He had been through far too much to keep holding on to such petty grievances and he could tell Dumbledore felt truly remorseful over his actions.

Less reluctantly, Regulus gave the man a small smile and dipped his head. After a moment of thought, he couldn't help but ask, "Do we have an accord, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly but inclined his head nonetheless. The lines of his face smoothed out slightly and he gave a hearty smile, "We do, dear boy."

There was still an air of wariness surrounding them, likely due to just how the Blacks had gone about dealing with Voldemort's army, but it was certainly better than nothing. A paragon of the Light like Dumbledore could never understand their use of violence even if they had a good reason for doing so. It just simply wasn't comprehensible to someone like him.

No matter, hopefully now that they had reached an understanding of sorts things could go back to normal. Merlin knew Regulus could use a break for once and a nice peaceful year at school with only your average teenage woes. Including the inevitable heartache he would feel being separated from his pack, but that was a worry he was firmly pushing aside, for now, as it would only depress him further.

For once, he was going to just enjoy the peace. Quite frankly, he thought, Regulus deserved a break and he was assuredly going to make the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the earlier note, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out. I hope you all enjoyed this one - it's very clearly almost the end, ah I'm so emotional! This fic has been like my baby and it's so strange to see it almost over. I've gotten so attached to these four boys - Cassie, Arcturus and even Bella wormed their way into my heart!
> 
> I hope the way Dumbledore was depicted wasn't too different from canon. I don't think he's the infallible reincarnation of Merlin some see him as but I also don't think he's an evil mastermind. I think he's just an old man that's too set in his ways but really does want the best for the general population.
> 
> I think there'll probably be another chapter after this (an epilogue of sorts or perhaps just a summarisation of what would follow) but after that, it's done! I don't know if I'll write the Remulus wedding, perhaps! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed and from the bottom of my heart I thank each and every single one of you for sticking with this story for so long!! <3 <3 <3 I truly cannot thank you all enough!


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